David Arquette Returning As Deputy Dewey Riley In ‘Scream 7’

EXCLUSIVE: David Arquette (Scream) is joining Scott Foley and Matthew Lillard returning from the dead (somehow?) in Scream 7 from Spyglass and Paramount Pictures, sources tell Deadline.

The trio played characters who died in the franchise and are returning in a surprise way. Details regarding how his character comes back and the film’s plot are currently under wraps.

Arquette starred as Deputy Dewey Riley, who was offed in the fifth film by Amber Freeman, played by newly minted Oscar winner Mikey Madison. The character first appears in the franchise’s original film Scream (1996) as the older brother of Tatum Riley (Rose McGowan) and the clumsy police deputy trying to help solve the murders in their town of Woodsboro. Tatum was the fifth victim of the Woodsboro Murders serial killers (played by Skeet Ulrich and Lillard), which affected Dewey immensely.

The deputy was married to Gale Weathers, played by Courteney Cox, who will reprise the role in Scream 7. Dewey killed Foley’s character Roman Bridger, secret brother of Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell), in Scream 3 (2000).

Arquette will also join the previously announced legacy cast members Campbell, Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown, alongside newcomers Isabel May, Celeste O’Connor, Asa Germann, Mckenna Grace, Sam Rechner, Anna Camp, Joel McHale, Mark Consuelos and Ethan Embry.

The long-running horror franchise has four films, including Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000) and Scream 4 (2011) directed by the late Wes Craven. It relaunched with the fifth installment, Scream, in 2022.

The latest outing, Scream VI, was released theatrically worldwide in March 2023 and holds the franchise record for highest domestic box office gross with more than $108 million and has taken in more than $169 million worldwide. Collectively, the Scream franchise has earned more than $900 million in worldwide box office receipts.