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Of all the new characters introduced in Scream (2022), Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding) is one of the most important. He and his sister Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy-Brown) are the nephew and niece of Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy), the horror movie guru who explained all the rules of the genre in the first movie. Chad's regular high school life in Woodsboro, California becomes chaotic and dangerous when Ghostface attacks Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega). Chad is determined to find the killer, along with his friend group.
While Scream fans are looking ahead to how Scream 7 could break the rules of the franchise, there are lots of discussions about who will be cast in the seventh movie. That begs the question: did Chad die in Scream 6?
How Could Melissa Barrera And Jenna Ortega's Exits From Scream 7 Affect The Franchise?
Scream 7 has been dealt a blow with the firing of Melissa Barrera and the exit of Jenna Ortega, leaving fans wondering what's next for the franchise.
What Happened To Chad In Scream 6?
While Chad Meeks-Martin doesn't die in Scream 6, he comes fairly close. He moves to New York City with Mindy Meeks-Martin and sisters Tara and Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) who make up The Core Four. Near the end of Scream 6, Chad is at the old movie theater with his friends, and one of the three Ghostface killers attacks Chad. Scream 6 is very different from previous installments, mostly because the movie is set in New York City, but also because it's much gorier. Since Ghostface hurts Chad so badly and he bleeds so much, it seems impossible for him to survive.
However, the final scene of Scream 6 shows Chad alive and with his friends. While he will have to deal with the trauma that he has been through, he is of course relieved that the nightmare is over, at least for now. Although Ghostface tries to kill Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Chad, fans are pleased that both fan-favorite characters make it through. They may not interact much, but they are both intelligent, perceptive characters who know that anyone could be a killer.
While Jenna Ortega's character Tara is the main focus of Scream (2022) since she is the first person who Ghostface attacks in the opening scene, Chad has just as much character development. His relationship with Liv McKenzie (Sonia Ammar) is an important part of Scream (2022) since he realizes she could be Ghostface. This naturally creates some fascinating and necessary tension. In one memorable scene, she wants to spend some time alone, and he says:
"Well, you know, I-I'm not entirely sure you're not the... killer."
When Liv is shocked, Chad says:
"No, no, no, no, look! I'm, like, almost one hundred percent certain that you are not, BUT the safest option... is to be down here... with all the people..."
Was Chad Supposed To Die In Scream 6?
When wondering if Chad dies in Scream 6, it's interesting to note that Mason Gooding's character was meant to die in Scream (2022). As Gooding explained in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he thought that Chad would die until he was on set shooting the fifth movie in the franchise. Considering that it was a mistake to kill Dewey Riley (David Arquette) in Scream (2022), it's great news that Chad survived.
Gooding said:
"I was kind of bait-and-switched. The script that I got the first time around said I died. I don't think you necessarily go into a Scream movie expecting to live every time. I just kind of accepted my fate. It wasn't until we began filming Scream 5 that I was told that I was going to survive and make it to the next one."
He continued:
"I didn't necessarily know that the 'Core Four' dynamic was going to take on the level of intimacy that it did, so to speak. Nor did I think I was going to be as thrown off by the killer reveal as I was. People will see why when they watch the movie."
Will Chad Appear In Scream 7?
As of mid-March 2024, it's unclear if Mason Gooding will return to Scream 7 and reprise his role of Chad Meeks-Martin. Although Neve Campbell's return as Sidney Prescott has been confirmed, there is no news about the rest of the cast.
Chad should come back for Scream 7 so the movie can continue to explore Mindy and Chad's sibling relationship. While they differ in many ways, especially since Mindy inherited her uncle's love of horror movies and Chad isn't as well-versed, they care about each other and that connection motivates them to fight Ghostface.
Scream 7 Can Have High Stakes For Sidney
Scream 7 should include Neve Campbell's iconic final girl character Sidney Prescott, who would be more motivated to fight Ghostface than ever before.
