When Dewey Riley (David Arquette) phoned Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) in Scream (2022), fans learned she was married with kids and trying to live a regular, happy life away from Sidney's eerie hometown of Woodsboro, California. Now that the anticipation has begun in earnest for Scream 7, there are many questions about what the final girl's life is like today. That includes wanting to know more about Sidney's marriage to Mark Kincaid (Patrick Dempsey), a detective introduced in Scream 3.

Since Patrick Dempsey starred in Eli Roth's slasher Thanksgiving,Scream fans have been even more curious about whether the actor will reprise his Mark Kincaid role in Scream 7. If he does, there are some things that should happen in order to make his return a success.

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What Should Patrick Dempsey's Scream 7 Plotline Be?

Since it seems clear that Scream 7 will raise the stakes in Sidney Prescott's life because she has a husband and family, it would be great to see Sidney and Mark work together to uncover Ghostface's identity. It's possible to assume that in the years since the two started their relationship, the characters have talked about Sidney's trauma. They might even have a plan for how to deal with a resurfaced Ghostface.

While some might wonder if Scream 7 could hint that Mark is the killer since that would be a scary red herring, it would be disappointing to see that happen. For one thing, Sidney would only commit to someone who she feels truly safe with because of her past spent fighting various Ghostface killers. Fan theories about the Scream 7 Ghostface suggest that audiences want a new character. For another, this would be a copy of Sidney's relationship with Scream killer Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), and that doesn't need to happen.

Since Mark is a detective, he likely will make some important and impressive connections between Sidney and the new Ghostface. While a lesser horror franchise would feature a corny scene of computer research when the main character discovers something shocking, Mark is one of the smartest Scream characters who is as witty and quick-thinking as Sidney. One of the best scenes in Scream 3 is when Sidney asks:

Mark says:

When Sidney replies "Mine too," it's clear that Mark and Sidney have both been through a lot. While Scream 7 should take inspiration from Scream 4,the horror sequel also needs to create some conflict in Mark and Sidney's relationship. Seeing Sidney in the midst of domestic bliss feels off and wrong, considering her strong-willed final girl nature. Otherwise, Mark's potential place in Scream 7 won't be satisfying. It would make sense if Mark was unsure about Sidney jumping back into investigating Ghostface again, given her history and their family life. But then the two characters would likely feel they have a duty and responsibility to go after Ghostface.

It's possible that Patrick Dempsey will star in Scream 7 because the writers and directors wanted him to appear in Scream 6. It seems that didn't happen because Neve Campbell declined to star in Scream 6, which meant that it would be strange to see Mark on his own. In an interview with Variety, when asked about talking to Dempsey about appearing, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin said:

What Happens To Patrick Dempsey's Character In Scream 3?

Patrick Dempsey's Scream 3 character Mark Kincaid tries to solve Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber) and Christine Hamilton's (Kelly Rutherford) murders. He and Sidney bond while they talk about what happened to her and how she's the key to this terrifying situation. While Mark wants Gale Weathers to assist in the cause as well, there are sparks between Mark and Sidney.

What Are Patrick Dempsey's Most Well-Known Movies?

• Outbreak (1995)
• Scream 3 (2000)
• Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
• Enchanted (2007)
• Made of Honor (2008)
• Bridget Jones's Baby (2016)
• Disenchanted (2022)
• Thanksgiving (2023)

While many hope Scream 7 won't repeat Scream 3's mistakes, Scream 3 has a hopeful conclusion featuring Mark and Sidney. The two characters are about to have a movie night with Dewey and Gale, which suggests that they are going to start dating. If Patrick Dempsey returns to the Scream franchise to play Mark Kincaid again, there will hopefully be a few scenes that catch fans up on his marriage to Sidney Prescott.

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