Fans of the Scream franchise are getting a small but tantalizing preview of what awaits them in the next encounter with Ghostface courtesy of returning star Mason Gooding.
“I’ll say the movie is domestic, I’ll say it’s homely and unconventional,” Gooding, 29, told Us Weekly while discussing the highly anticipated Scream 7. The actor has portrayed Chad Meeks-Martin since Scream (2022), the fifth film in the series, and will reprise his role in the latest installment.
Gooding also expressed excitement about working under the direction of Scream creator Kevin Williamson, who is stepping behind the camera for the first time in the franchise’s history. “From a creative standpoint, [he] is the dream, because he created that world,” Gooding explained. “Having a level of understanding and world building and in background and ethos of just the concept in general of Scream was incredibly gratifying and also led to a greater understanding of the lifeblood of the series as a whole.”
While Chad is just “one piece of the greater machination” of the Scream universe, Gooding believes Williamson’s involvement will elevate the entire film. As both a cast member and a fan, he described the creator’s return as an “all-encompassing addition” that will satisfy audience expectations for tone, suspense, and franchise continuity.
The Scream saga began in 1996 with Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott facing off against the now-iconic masked killer. Joined by Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers and David Arquette’s Dewey Riley, Campbell led the first four films under the late Wes Craven’s direction. A decade after Scream 4 (2011), the series was revived with Scream (2022), introducing new leads Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) alongside Gooding’s Chad and Jasmin Savoy Brown’s Mindy Meeks-Martin.
Though Campbell skipped Scream 6 (2023), she will return for the seventh installment alongside Cox, Gooding, and Brown. In a major twist for fans, several legacy characters are also coming back — including Arquette’s Dewey Riley, Matthew Lillard, and Scott Foley, who previously portrayed Ghostface killers in earlier films. The casting news follows the exits of Barrera and Ortega, marking a significant shift in the franchise’s narrative focus.
Outside of horror, Gooding is keeping busy with a wide range of roles. This month, he reunites with Dylan Sprouse for Under Fire, their second action film together after previously teaming up in 2023’s Beautiful Disaster. In the new buddy-comedy, Gooding and Sprouse play undercover agents for the FBI and DEA whose covert identities are revealed during a botched cartel operation. Forced to work together despite shaky trust, the duo face off against a sniper determined to eliminate them both.
For Mason Gooding, high-stakes action offers an “emotional catharsis” — a way to channel intensity without crossing real-life boundaries. “You obviously can’t punch anyone in the face in reality,” he joked, adding that the real reward was the on-set camaraderie with Sprouse. “I spent every day trying to make him feel the same level of seen and appreciation that he does for his other performers… Dylan was so ready and willing to go there, and our director Steven C. Miller was so willing to guide us through it.”
Mason Gooding also stressed the importance of building safe and trusting relationships between co-stars, likening the process to developing strong romantic partnerships. “As long as we’re articulating our thoughts and feelings, we have a better understanding of the other person’s comfortability or emotional equipment,” he said, noting that while there were no intimacy coordinators on set, the cast maintained open communication about boundaries.
Under Fire will be released in select theaters and on digital platforms on August 15. Scream 7 does not yet have a confirmed release date — but with Williamson at the helm and a mix of new and returning faces, Gooding’s hint of a “domestic” and “unconventional” horror may have fans more intrigued than ever.