Courteney Cox Is Returning To Her Biggest Franchise
Courteney Cox may be feeling under the weather … Gale Weathers. Sources tell Variety she is in talks to reprise her role of Gale Weathers in the upcoming Scream installment, Scream VII.
Courteney Cox originated the role of reporter Gale Weathers in 1996’s Scream, and she has appeared in all the sequels.
Courteney Cox Returning To Scream
The Courteney Cox news comes about two weeks after Neve Campbell announced she was coming back as Sidney Prescott after she sat out of Scream 6 due to a salary dispute.
Campbell took to her social media saying she was thrilled and that she was asked “in the most respectful way” to bring her famous character back to the screen.
Scream franchise creator Kevin Williamson will be stepping into the director’s chair this time around.
Courteney Cox Yes, Jenna Ortega No
Scream VII has been through some drama even in its early stages. It’s worth noting that though Courteney Cox is coming back, Jenna Ortega, one of the most sought-after young actors in Hollywood, stepped away from the new Scream.
Sources told The Hollywood Reporter she made the decision due to disagreements over her paycheck, although other outlets reported it was because of scheduling conflicts. Ortega is starring in the new Beetlejuice.
Ortega’s on-screen sister, Melissa Barrera, was fired from the project after making comments on social media related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas War.
The Scream Franchise
Williamson is in the director’s chair for Scream VII following the departure of the original director Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day).
He didn’t give much of a reason, but did write on X/Twitter, “It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare … I hope Wes’ legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world.”
Scream launched in 1996 with the late Wes Craven going on to direct three sequels. In 2022, the fifth film (titled Scream) reinvented the franchise under directing team Radio Silence, with Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette all returning.
2023’s Scream VI followed and became one of the franchise’s top grossing movies. It cost a reported $35 million and made $169.1 million worldwide.
Massive Box Office Franchise
The Scream film series has grossed more than $900 million at the global box office.
Critics have praised the films for causing a shift away from the teen slasher films of the 1980s. Screenwriter Kevin Williamson was lauded for creating clever and complicated plots.
Williamson wrote the original Scream based on a real-life killer; the Gainesville Ripper, a.k.a. Danny Rolling. Rolling was a real-life serial rapist and murderer in the late 80s and early 90s.
Courteney Cox There From Beginning
Courteney Cox was there from the very beginning of the Scream franchise, taking on the role of opportunistic reporter Gale Weathers. She is the only character who has appeared in every film in the series.
Gale’s on-screen romance with Dewey Riley (David Arquette) overflowed into the actors’ personal lives. Cox and Arquette met on set, married in 1999 and were together for 11 years before announcing their divorce. They have one daughter together.
Courteney Cox’s Other Work
Courteney Cox most recently starred on the satirical comedy horror television series Shining Vale.
Besides the Scream films, she is known for playing Monica Geller on the iconic show Friends for 10 seasons.
Source: Variety
