Courteney Cox confirmed she will reprise the iconic role of Gale Weathers in the upcoming sequel, Scream 5. The sequel will be directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who are best known for taking the helm on the well-received 2019 thriller Ready Or Not. The as-yet untitled movie is aiming for a 2021 release, though that may be pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Cox was one of the original stars of Scream, appearing as the tenacious reporter turned fiction writer Gale Weathers in all four entries in the franchise so far. The only confirmed cast member before today was David Arquette, who will reprise his role as Deputy Sheriff Dewey Riley. There had been rumors that Cox would also return, along with the franchise's other original star, Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott. All three of the original stars of the franchise have appeared in every Scream movie so far, in varying capacities, including the last entry, Scream 4. That film was released in 2011 and also featured a cast of franchise newcomers, including Hayden Panettiere, Alison Brie and Emma Roberts.
But Cox has now taken to Instagram to confirm that she will indeed be reprising the role of Gale Weathers for the fifth time. The actress posted a short video featuring an image of the iconic ghost face killer mask worn by the various killers in the franchise, and is accompanied by the words: "I can't wait to see this face again." You can see the post below.
The news should come as no surprise for fans of the franchise, given that Arquette's involvement was confirmed already, and the pair's characters are married in the film. Additionally, reports are that the new directors are keen to revitalise the franchise by evoking the spirit of the first film, rather than the sequels, which have suffered from an alarming decline in quality and success at the box office.
Cox's casting leaves Campbell as the only hold out from the original trio. Despite struggling to make a name for herself outside of the series, Campbell has been hesitant to return to the franchise in the past, initially turning down an offer to appear in Scream 4. However, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are incredibly keen to have the actor appear in the new sequel, going as far as writing a letter to Campbell pitching her their ideas for the film.
However, whether Campbell appears or not, the directors now have at least two original cast members to build Scream 5 around. In fact, you could argue that the new film would be better served by using Weathers and Riley as the main protagonists than Prescott, given that her story has been somewhat played out.
Source: Courteney Cox