From Jenna Ortega to Courteney Cox, here's who's returning for Scream VI

Scream VI will be missing a couple of beloved franchise veterans, with David Arquette's Deputy Dewey having gone to the great stakeout in the sky during last year's Scream and the Sidney Prescott-playing Neve Campbell deciding not to come back for real-life salary-related reasons. But the sixth installment of the horror-comedy franchise is still full of familiar, and likely frightened, faces. Find out below which actors are returning.

Jenna Ortega as Tara Carpenter

Philippe Bossé/Paramount Jenna Ortega in 'Scream VI.'

After surviving the Ghostface-orchestrated mayhem of Scream (2020), Ortega's character has relocated from Woodsboro to New York, where she attends college at the fictional Blackmore University.

"At the top of the film, we see my character, Tara, avoiding her trauma and desperately trying to reclaim her teenage experience and become a normal college student," says the Wednesday star.

Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter

Philippe Bossé/Paramount Melissa Barrera 'Scream VI.'

Tara's sister Sam has also moved east to keep an eye on her sibling and an eye out for a certain mask-wearing psycho.

"We saw her at the end of the last movie telling her sister, 'I'm going to hold your hand; I'm never leaving your side,'" says Barrera. "She meant it, and it's a little bit like she's taking it to the extreme now."

Mason Gooding as Chad Meeks-Martin

Tara is joined at Blackmore University by her high school pal Chad Meeks-Martin, the nephew of Jamie Kennedy's horror movie expert Randy Meeks from the first three Scream films.

"My character's been stabbed a plethora of times and is trying to leave that in the past and start a new life in New York City," says Gooding. "We see how that falls apart in the wake of a new Ghostface debacle."

Philippe Bossé/Paramount Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding in 'Scream VI.'

Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy Meeks-Martin

Chad's twin sister Mindy is yet another survivor of the most recent Woodsboro massacre to be studying at Blackmore University.

"Somehow, they all got into the same school," says Brown with a laugh. "Who knows if that was because they all wrote really good essays and had good test scores or if Blackmore felt bad for them. Regardless, they're together, and Mindy is in a great place. I think moving to New York City is an exciting option for any young person, but especially a queer young person who was in a small town. Now she has the opportunity to explore her gender, explore her sexuality, in a place where more people look like her and are also exploring."

Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers

Philippe Bossé Courteney Cox in 'Scream VI.'

The Friends star has played journalist Gale Weathers, the chronicler of the franchise's many slayings, in every Scream film dating back to director Wes Craven's original 1996 movie. At the conclusion of Scream (2020), however, Gale announced that she would not write about the latest slaughter in Woodsboro because she wanted the Dewey-murdering killers, played by Jack Quaid and Mikey Madison, to die in anonymity.

"It's always good to see the return of Gale Weathers," says Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, who co-directed Scream (2022) and Scream VI with Tyler Gillett. "Especially with where she was in the last movie and how her life has evolved."

"Bringing Ghostface to New York adds an entirely new element to the story," adds Cox. "Taking the character out of a small town and putting them in the heart of the city that never sleeps is more terrifying than ever."

Roger L. Jackson as the voice of Ghostface

Ghostface in 'Scream VI.'

Not all of the returning cast members are familiar faces. Jackson has voiced Ghostface since the first movie and does so again in Scream VI. Turns out, the actor is much less of a problem than his character.

"He's a treat to work with," says Bettinelli-Olpin.

Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed

Philippe Bossé/Paramount Hayden Panettiere in 'Scream VI.'

The Nashville star's snarky, horror movie-loving character Kirby Reed became a fan favorite after the teenager was introduced in 2011's Scream 4. Kirby was in bad shape by the end of that movie, after being stabbed by Rory Culkin's villainous Charlie Walker, but Scream (2020) revealed that Panettiere's character was still alive, setting up actress' appearance in the new movie.

"She's come a long way," says Panettiere. "What happened to her has obviously impacted her life, and it sends her in a certain direction, but she's still the same old Kirby at the heart of it. She's just a little older, a little wiser, but just as spitfire-y, and snarky, and all that good stuff."

The cast of Scream VI also includes Tony Revolori, Samara Weaving, Dermot Mulroney, Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Liana Liberato, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, and Josh Segarra.

Scream VI slashes into cinemas March 10.

Pick up a copy of Entertainment Weekly's Ultimate Guide to Scream, available online.

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