What Does Joel McHale In ‘Scream 7’ Mean For Patrick Dempsey?

Joel McHale has added another role that could further delay the upcoming Community movie, but that actually isn’t the controversial part of McHale’s horror-movie casting. Instead, the fuss has everything to do with Patrick Dempsey’s franchise role that now appears to have bitten the dust.

This is a confusing update, for sure. Dempsey had not simply been Internet rumored to be coming back for Scream 7. The Grey’s Anatomy and Dexter: Original Sin star addressed the subject by recently admitting to have had “a conversation” about returning as Mark Kincaid, who was assumed to have married Neve Campbell’s Sydney Prescott sometime after Scream 3. Neve had previously departed the franchise after a salary dispute, but the production came through to a degree that she climbed back onboard for Scream 7.

Now, Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that “Dempsey is not in the movie at all” after reaching out to both Spyglass and Paramount. That news arrived after Deadline reported that Sydney is indeed married to a “Mark,” but his name is Mark Evans, and he will be portrayed by McHale:

Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has a husband, and it’s not Detective Mark Kincaid (Patrick Dempsey) of Scream 3, as has been speculated online. Set to play her spouse, Mark Evans, in Scream 7 is none other than Joel McHale, who’s currently in production on the film in Atlanta.

It’s strange stuff, indeed.

Scream 7 has been the source of upheaval for Spyglass Media Group and Paramount Pictures on not only director shufflings (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have been replaced by Kevin Williamson) but much casting upheaval. Melissa Barrera was fired over social media postings, and Jenna Ortega left for scheduling reasons. Some original cast members are onboard, and those include Courteney Cox as Gail Weathers and, of course, Neve Campbell. The movie will arrive in theaters February 27, 2026.