The plot for the upcoming Scream 2022 remains shrouded in secrecy, but there’s a compelling reason why the sequel should kill off Gale Weathers. Following the tragic passing of director Wes Craven in 2015, the meta slasher series is now being relaunched by directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. Joining a new roster of young characters are franchise regulars Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Dewey Riley (David Arquette) and Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox).
1996’s original Scream followed Sidney and her friends as they were stalked by Ghostface, a masked serial killer obsessed with horror films. Gale has featured prominently throughout the franchise, with Cox’s performance a consistent high point as Gale evolved from a selfish news reporter into a more compassionate person. Scream 2022 reportedly returns to Sidney’s hometown of Woodsboro, but multiple scripts exist and alternate scenes have been filmed to prevent plot details leaking.
The prospect of seeing Sidney, Dewey and Gale reunite in Scream 2022 is undeniably exciting, but it's highly likely at least one of the trio will finally perish. In a 2011 interview with Dread Central, Craven revealed Cox originally wanted Gale to die in Scream 4, making her the biggest contender to be killed off. Although Craven was reluctant to kill his beloved protagonists, losing a memorable face would help push the series into a new era and Gale’s death could provide a strong emotional payoff.
During the interview, A Nightmare on Elm Street director Wes Craven was asked about his thoughts on killing the trio. He stated his refusal to do so was because “they’re the heart of the franchise”. However, he then admitted, “Courtney was begging me to kill Gale in Scream 4, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.” It seems clear at which point this would have occurred in the fourth entry, as Gale is attacked and injured while investigating Woodsboro’s annual Stabathon event. Gale's survival has allowed her to come back for Scream 2022, but her death certainly would have been impactful. She would have exited in true Gale fashion - by ignoring the police and trying to solve the murders herself. Craven doubted he would ever kill his heroes, but he did later come around to the idea. The unfairly criticized Scream 4 was intended to open a new trilogy, and he told IGN that “next time out, one or more of those characters is going to have to die”.
If Scream 2022 plans to revive the horror series for a new generation, it feels unlikely Sidney, Dewey and Gale will all once again survive, and Cox’s return might have been incentivized by the prospect of a memorable death. Likable as Gale is, she is arguably the easiest legacy character to lose, and her demise would raise the stakes considerably. Sidney has been put through so much torture that killing her may seem cruel, while Dewey’s ability to avoid death is a running gag. To finally kill him might not have the desired effect, especially if viewers expect him to somehow pull through once more. In contrast, Gale Weathers' bossy, meddling nature could land her in peril, and her demise would provide husband Dewey with an emotional arc wherein he seeks revenge.
Gale’s murder could even be what prompts Sidney to return to Woodsboro and confront the new Ghostface. Scream 2022 may yet honor Craven by keeping his iconic trio alive, but killing a legacy character would decisively show that the original protagonists are no longer safe and the horror movie rules have changed.
