Mason Gooding Teases ‘Scream 7’ as ‘Most Brutal’ Yet in New Interview

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Mason Gooding, the 28-year-old actor known for his role as Chad Meeks-Martin in the ‘Scream‘ franchise, recently revealed chilling details about the upcoming seventh installment of the iconic horror series during an appearance on iHeart‘s podcast ‘I’ve Never Said This Before with Tommy DiDario.’

“This is the most brutal I think Ghostface has been from an anatomically logistical standpoint,” Gooding said in a preview of the episode, which drops Tuesday, February 4. “There is a lot of blood and viscera, and I feel like with directing, fans have a lot to look forward to with what we do to these characters.”

Gooding confirmed he has already begun filming for ‘Scream 7,’ though some scenes remain unfinished. He also shared insights into the script process, contrasting it with his experience on ‘Scream 5’ and ‘Scream 6.’ “For ‘Scream 5,’ they not only didn’t give us the final act, but I didn’t know who the killers were until after the movie was done,” he recalled. “But for this script, I have read it all, now that I am legacy cast.”

The actor admitted that returning for the seventh film wasn’t a given. “It is touch and go for a lot of reasons,” he said. “It was always little conversations and catch-ups, but I am not told much until it is ‘need to know.'”

Gooding also discussed his latest project, the horror-comedy ‘Heart Eyes,’ which he stars in alongside Olivia Holt. The film, directed by Josh Ruben and written by Michael Kennedy and Phillip Murphy, follows a Valentine’s Day-themed slasher plot. Gooding and Holt play characters mistaken for a couple, drawing the attention of the film’s antagonist, the Heart Eyes Killer (HEK).

“HEK has such a brutality to [them] that seems as if it’s hard to track the motive,” Gooding explained. “With Ghostface, the allure is that it could be anybody, specifically people in your neighborhood. With HEK, regardless of who it is, the threat is so imminent and insurmountable.”

Holt echoed Gooding’s enthusiasm for the film’s unique villain. “HEK has such a striking, unsettling look,” she said. “The first time we saw the mask on a makeup table, we were like, ‘Oh, is that our killer?’ And it was still effective.”

Gooding praised the film’s blend of romance, comedy, and horror, calling it a “cleverly written narrative” with franchise potential. ‘Heart Eyes’ arrives in theaters on February 7, 2025.