It’s been a wild ride for the Scream franchise. The shocking exits of Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega has put the future of the series into question. However, that was quickly redeemed when Neve Campbell’s return was confirmed. Still, this is remains a murky subject as Campbell isn’t exactly returning under a good set of circumstances. Backstage politics aside, it’s actually disappointing that Sidney Prescott is the main star again because her story has been finished three films ago.
At the very least, the screenwriters can find a good purpose for bringing back the legacy character. On the flip side is Gale Weathers, a fun side character that helped make the series so memorable in the beginning. Gale is the only original cast member that has been in ALL of the Scream films. As nice as it is to have legacy characters in such a iconic franchise, is there really any purpose for Gale Weathers in Scream these days?
Gale Weathers Was A Great Side Character In The Beginning
When we’re first introduced to Gale in Scream, she’s painted as a shady weather girl who could potentially be Ghostface. But as the series develops, so does Gale. That’s mainly due to her relationship with Dewey Cox; the writers were smart in this pairing as Dewey has been a likable a name from the very beginning. There’s a couple of screws loose in Dewey’s head, but he wasn’t painted as so dumb that you wonder how he became a cop in the first place.
The opposite attract angle worked as it allowed audiences to see the softer side of Gale Weathers. By the time Scream 3 ended, she was a fully fleshed out character who also had a happy ending. Gale’s snarkiness and quick wit make for a fun supporting character throughout the first three films. Cox had nice chemistry with the main cast, and it made for a fun watch when she’s paired with people who are completely opposite of who she is. Like Sidney, Gale could’ve rode off into the sunset after Scream 3, but Hollywood loves milking a franchise dead, so naturally, she had to return.
Gale Weathers Has Regressed Since Her Return In Scream 4
I have no issues with Gale and Dewey breaking up. However, that has stopped the progress of her character development. She’s gone back to being the annoying news reporter and though that isn’t her role throughout the entire film since Scream 4, there’s been no reason why she needed to return to the franchise. While there’s been some issues with Sidney’s return as well, she was at least given some purpose in her return.
Gale doesn’t have a purpose. She’s just there for legacy reasons. We don’t know her goals or ambitions. We didn’t get much from her after Dewey’s surprising death. She didn’t even fit into the new generation of characters in the following sequels. Gale Weathers is stuck between a rock and hard place; she’s essentially Teflon Don at this point because she’s a legacy character. But since the story isn’t about her then she can’t develop like the main characters.
The thing is, Scream’s 4 and 5 developed Dewey because we focused on his emotional state following his divorce from Gale. His arc in the latter was easily one of the best parts of the entire film. It’s not impossible to give Gale Weathers a purpose in the modern Scream. It’s getting pretty tiresome that her only purpose seems to be a potential victim for the new Ghostface.
Gale Desperately Needs A Purpose
Courtney Cox has already been confirmed for the upcoming Scream sequel. As much as I enjoyed the character in the past, it’s time to give her story some meat beyond being a legacy character. Sidney Prescott returning gives them an opportunity to define Gale’s true (beyond surviving the latest Ghostface). However, if she’s the same character like the past three installments then it’s simply time to retire Gale Weathers.
Whether that’s death or riding into the sunset, it doesn’t matter. However, executives have to understand that part of the appeal for the reboot was the fresh that the new cast brought to the series. There’s some danger that she’s best days may be behind them because the formula has grown stale at this point. Gale Weathers can be a valuable character for years to come, but there has to be some development beyond legacy victim.
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