Two years later, a tragic demise in 2022's Scream. Played by David Arquette, Dewey survived numerous encounters with Ghostface throughout the years, which made his death an emotional gut punch even for the most seasoned fans of the franchise. Mikey Madison delivered the fatal blow as Amber, one of the two Ghostface killers in the film.

During a recent conversation with Collider, Madison discussed the impact of her role and shared how she was unaware of the franchise's devoted fan base when making the movie. She ed that it was a sad fate for the character, and only realized later that it broke so many people's hearts. Madison even received some angry responses from people, apologizing to them and claiming the script was responsible. Read her full comments below:

I have to be honest, when I did the film, it sounds naive, but I wasn’t so aware of the huge fan base that the franchise has, that I’ve now been able to discover. Scream and horror fans and people who love horror films are the best people ever, but I really naively went into it.

And so I being kind of sad because I was like, ‘Oh, such a great character. It’ll be sad to see him go.’ And then I realized afterward the heartbreak that so many people felt. People have come up to me, and they’re like, ‘I hate that this happened. I’m mad at you.’ And I’m like, ‘I’m so sorry, I didn’t write the script!’ I didn’t want to do it.

What Madison's Ghostface Meant For The Scream Franchise

It Added A Fresh Sense Of Unpredictability

Madison's portrayal of Ghostface in the 2022 revival marked a significant shift for the franchise by introducing a killer who was not only menacing but will forever be tied to one of the most heartbreaking moments. Dewey's death represented a bold turning point for the slasher franchise, signaling its willingness to raise the stakes by killing off a beloved legacy character. This demonstrates Scream's commitment to remaining unpredictable, a hallmark of its identity. Despite the backlash from fans over Dewey's death, Madison characterized playing Ghostface as an exciting and rewarding experience.

Madison highlighted the self-aware tone of the Scream films as a unique feature that made playing the iconic masked killer especially enjoyable. This tone is critical to the franchise's ability to keep audiences on edge, especially after Dewey's devastating death in the 2022 revival. This then set the tone for Scream VI, making audiences fear that any character could meet a grim fate. This resulted in one of the most nerve-racking moments of the franchise, where audiences were made to believe that the iconic Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) was going to suffer a fate similar to Dewey's. However, once again, she managed to survive.

Our Take On Madison's Ghostface Kill

It's A Bold Choice That Revitalized Scream

Madison's Ghostface gave Scream a bold new edge, solidifying the franchise's ability to challenge its audience. Killing Dewey was shocking but necessary since it needed to raise the stakes and separate itself from other franchises that might be scared to write off legacy characters and potentially upset their audiences. While losing a fan-favorite character was heartbreaking, it successfully gave gravitas to the story, which was much needed for long-running franchises to keep engaging with both old and new audiences.

Madison brought an unsettling charisma to the role of Ghostface, proving that the horror franchise can still startle audiences decades after its debut. Currently, Scream 7 has been surrounded by controversies, featuring a brand-new leading cast following Melissa Barrera's firing and Jenna Ortega's exit. However, if the franchise wants to continue honoring its legacy while still taking risks, it could find the key to its future success. For now, Dewey's loss serves as a bittersweet reminder of what made the Scream franchise so compelling.

Source: Collider