Courteney Cox has shared where audiences will find Gale Weathers when Scream premieres. The Friends alum has been a mainstay of the franchise since its inception in 1996 under the direction of the late Wes Craven. The latest film, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, will premiere in theaters early next year.

Ever since the Scream franchise kicked off in 1996, it has been a periodic mainstay of the slasher genre. Following a series of murders taking place in the fictional Woodsboro, California (though the franchise has frequently changed locations), Scream primarily follows the adventures of Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Dewey Riley (David Arquette), and journalist Gale Weathers (Cox). The three have survived four different encounters with the Ghostface killer, with Dewey and Gale even becoming on-again-off-again lovers throughout all of the danger.

Now, with a new Scream on the way in 2022, fans will soon catch up with all of their favorite (surviving) characters, including Gale Weathers. But where has Gale been? Speaking with Total Film (via HelloSydney.com), Cox addressed the current state of the intrepid journalist. In her remarks, she noted that Gale is in a good place professionally, but her personal life is somewhat in shambles due to her own flaws. Cox explained:

Gale now works on a morning show. She has the respect of a job where she gets to call the shots, and has an audience that is tuning in just for her. She’s in a better place, as far as her professional life goes. I don’t think that personally she’s in a great place. But, you know, she’s very selfish, so I’m not sure she’s ever going to be one to find happiness in that way.

Though primarily a story about Sydney Prescott, the Scream franchise has always had a fascination with Gale’s character arc as well. Throughout the movies, she has oscillated between selfishness and selflessness in her career as a journalist and a creator of true crime content. Even her relationship with Dewey is a prime example of this, having fully blossomed in Scream 2 but quickly falling apart in subsequent installments due to differences between the characters. Even with the growth she has showcased over the course of the last four films, in Cox's estimation, she fundamentally remains a selfish character.

All of this leads fans to wonder whether or not Gale Weathers will ultimately survive the events of 2022’s Scream. The franchise is unlike many similar slasher series in the sense that it (with a few exceptions) has managed to keep its core ensemble. That said, nobody is ever truly safe in the horror genre, which means there is always the possibility that the directors could offer up Weathers as a sacrificial lamb to show audiences that they mean business - not unlike what Craven did with Drew Barrymore in the opening scene of the original film all the way back in 1996. Scream will debut in theaters on January 14, 2022.

Scream 5 (2022)
Release Date: Jan 14, 2022