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He didn't get me. Tell Sidney, he never got me.

–Gale to Sam and Tara after surviving Ghostface's attack.

Gale Weathers (formerly Gale Riley) is a main character and tritagonist (later deuteragonist) in the Scream film franchise (1996—present). She is the only main character to appear in all six films.

In the original film, she claims and later proves Cotton Weary's innocence and wrongful death row conviction of rape and murder in Maureen Prescott's 1995 murder trial. Alongside Maureen's daughter Sidney, she has solved and survived the events of all five Ghostface killing sprees, inspired by the original massacre created by Maureen's true killer, Billy Loomis.

The former opportunistic reporter is the ex-wife of the late, former Sheriff Dewey Riley, and close confidante to Sidney, with whom she develops a trust and bond throughout the films. Introduced as a Top Story journalist from New York City, she survives the original Woodsboro Massacre in 1996, where she meets her future ex-husband, enduring an on-off 25-year-spanning romance, which ends in his murder. Gale avenges her ex's death by setting his killer on fire.

As an author, Gale has written at least seven books based on Sidney Prescott's life, five real-life events based, beginning with Wrongly Accused (1996). Her best-seller The Woodsboro Murders (1997 book) is adapted into a slasher movie called Stab in 1998, and is followed by true-events based crime novels, College Terror (1998 book), Hollywood Horror (2000 book), and the fictional books, Ghostface Returns (2007 novel) and Knife of the Hunter (2009 novel) (all seen in Scream 4). She also most likely published a yet-unknown titled book based on the Woodsboro Remake (events of Scream 4).

Gale finally opts to quit tabloid media and stories about Ghostface forever, so that the killers die in anonymity. She suggests writing a biography about a "brave man who used to be the sheriff" in the town once, referencing Dewey. However, this decision is short lived as she proceeds to write a book, Requel: Terror Returns To Woodsboro, based on the Third Woodsboro Murders, causing conflict between her and Samantha and Tara Carpenter.

Gale takes a more prominent role in Scream VI, having reverted to her old ways of backstabbing survivors and writing factually incorrect books. Gale discovers a shrine dedicated to Ghostface and reforms herself when she helps the 2022 survivors escape a new Ghostface killer. In the film, Gale gets her first ever Ghostface call (ever since, unbeknownst to her, her original attempted first phone call intended for her being taken from her by her former ally and fourth victim of the copycat killing spree, Randy Meeks; thus inadvertently causing her survival) which results in a chase between her and Ghostface which ends with Gale being sent to the hospital on the verge of death. Her fate is left unknown until Danny Brackett confirms that she survived the attack and is resting in the hospital.

Gale is portrayed by Courteney Cox.

Biography

The Woodsboro Murders (1996)

Hi, this is Gale Weathers with an exclusive eyewitness account of this amazing breaking story. Several more local teens are dead, bringing to an end the harrowing mystery of the masked killings that has terrified this peaceful community, like the plot of some scary movie. It all began with a scream of a 911 and ended in a bloodbath that has rocked the town of Woodsboro. All played out here in this peaceful farmhouse, far from the crimes and the sirens of the larger cities that its residents have fled. Okay, let's take it back to one. Come on, move it! This is my big shot. Let's go.

–Gale reporting in the finale, Scream

Ms

Gale Weathers, the reporter Gale, as she appeared in Scream (1996).

Gale is a 32-year-old investigative-journalistic reporter who wrote a book on Maureen Prescott's death titled Wrongly Accused: The Maureen Prescott Murder (1995, date of murder: published then or in 1996), explaining how she thinks the suspected killer, Cotton Weary, is innocent. She is rude, bossy, impatient at times, and goes to great lengths to get a good story (such as secretly videotaping unsuspecting teens at a house party). After Casey Becker and her boyfriend, Steven Orth, are killed on Wednesday night, September 25th, 1996, she comes to the small Northern California town from New York City and reports on the murders; as well as talks with 17 year old Sidney Prescott about her book, whom she relentlessly pursues for a lead, even stationed at her high school campus when she reports on Casey and Steven’s murders the next day, due to other media reporters also being outside; most likely, she’s there due to Sidney’s mothers murder having occurred almost a year prior and the trial, due to her claims of Cotton being innocent.

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No Comment: Gale arrives at the scene seconds too late and is denied comment.

After Sidney barely survives her first attack at her house and is taken in for questioning on Thursday night, September 26th, after Sidney’s boyfriend, Billy, is arrested in regard to Sidney’s attack by Ghostface. Gale, along with her cameraman, Kenny Brown, were the first to be at the scene of Sidney’s house but find themselves denied comment by both the police escorting Sidney and her best friend, Tatum Riley, as Sidney is taken by Tatum’s brother and Sidney’s security, Deputy Dewey Riley’s car and Tatum leaves in hers, refusing to speak with her, much to her frustration, which Gale takes out on Kenny as they then head for the station.

Once at the station, Gale and a mob of other reporters try to interview Sidney but find that the Woodsboro Sheriff’s Station has been barricaded by police officers at the front entrance. This prompts her to head to the back of the station via an alleyway to find Sidney and Tatum, who are standing waiting for Dewey, to pull up with a car to leave. Gale presses Sidney for a comment, which Tatum tries to decline, before Sidney confronts the media and assures Tatum she can speak, as she sarcastically states Gale’s just doing her job, to which she agrees. Sidney asks about her book (most likely her first novel), which Gale assures her will come out later “this year”.

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I’ll Send You a Copy: Gale as she’s punched in the face by Sidney.

Sidney says she’ll look for one as she turns away to leave before Gale happily states she’ll send her a copy, before being sucker punched on the side of her face and almost fell down, before being caught by Kenny, holding her face and being taken aback, as Gale looks up shocked to see a tearful, yet angry, Sidney staring down at her before Sidney is pulled away by Dewey and Tatum, much to Tatum’s pleasure, who then boards the patrol car and leaves Gale and the other reporters as she then gets to her feet.

The next day, on Friday morning, September 28th, Gale is shown outside Woodsboro High, insider her van parked and sitting down on the passenger side, applying makeup and concealer over the bruised cheek of her face, wearing a red button suit jacket with a white blouse under and a matching red skirt. She sees a lamenting Sidney approaching and stops her makeup before telling her to stop right there, with Sidney explaining she wants to talk, as she tells for a nearby Kenny to grab the camera to record. Sidney tells her no cameras and off the record, which Gale obviously denies, but Sidney pleads her and tells Gale she owes her, much to Gale’s dismay, claiming “I owe you shit”, as Sidney retorts and claims she owes her late mother.

Gale then motions for Kenny to out the camera down after this, as Gale explains to Sidney how her mother’s murder was “last year’s hottest court case”, stating how somebody was going to write a book about it, before Sidney scoffs and states how it had to be her with all her “lies and bullshit”. Gale confronts and asks Sidney what her problem is, and claims how Sidney got what she wanted, as she refers to Cotton being in jail and how they’re going to “gas him”, referring to him being sentenced to death row, claiming how a book isn’t going to change that. Sidney asks if Gale thinks he’s still innocent, before Gale states how it’s her testimony that put him away, and how it doesn’t matter what she thinks. Sidney points out how during the trial how Gale made stories about her and calling her a liar, which Gale states was her away of stating how she thinks Sidney did falsely identified Cotton, in regard to him being the framed rapist and murderer of Sidney’s mother.

Sidney asks Gale if she talked to him as she agrees many times, with Sidney asking if his testimony’s changed, with Gale denying it hasn’t, “not one word”, although agrees with the fact of being Maureen’s lover and having sex with her, perhaps the night of her murder, but nothing else. Sidney denies this, claiming her mother wouldn’t have touched him and how he committed the crime and points to the evidence being her blood being on Cotton’s coat. Gale then states how Cotton was drunk the night of her murder, and how he left his coat and left the Prescott house after Maureen seduced him.

Sidney talks to Gale

Off the Record: Sidney talks to Gale.

Sidney states how she saw him leave wearing it, upon her finding her mother dead, but Gale claims how she saw someone leave wearing instead, the same someone who planted it in Cotton’s car, framing him. Sidney blatantly denies this and claims how Cotton murdered her mother, before Gale falls silent and stares Sidney dead in her eyes and reads her, claiming how Sidney herself isn’t so sure anymore, before Sidney is then pulled away by Tatum, who arrives to make a remark about Gale’s “welt”, before telling Sidney to go. Gale then states how the killer’s still on the loose, referring to the murders taking place, as Sidney then backs away before Gale tells her how the murders are related. Sidney then apologizes for mangling Gale’s face, before Gale tries to call her back, but fails as Sidney tells her to go away.

At the night of the party despite the town curfew, which she learns about via Dewey outside school, as the two begin flirting, Gale and Dewey find Neil Prescott's car in the bushes not far from the house. When they go back to the house, they see almost everyone has left the house so Dewey tell Gale to call for backup while he checks out the house. She runs to her van and notices her cameraman brutally murdered. Gale then punches in self defense and due to being scared, an injured and also scared, drunk Randy Meeks. Gale tries to drive away but crashes into a tree after swerving off the road while trying to avoid a terrified Sidney (who has escaped from the house).

Gale Reports Murders

Gale reports the turn of events.

Later, when Billy and Stu confront Sidney about their motive, an injured Gale arrives and pulls a gun on them. However, the safety is on, and Billy kicks her against a pillar on the front porch where Dewey's unconscious body is lying. This gives Sidney time to escape and fight back. Just as Billy prepares to stab Sidney, Gale shoots him. Sidney then shoots Billy again as he suddenly wakes up - as Randy predicted - for "one last scare." As Dewey is wheeled off into the back of an ambulance presumably as well as Sidney as emergency services arrive on the dawn of Saturday, September 28th, Gale, alongside new camera crew from her network station, ends the events with a news report as she states to the cameras what happened.

The Windsor College Murders

I feel bad, Dewey. I feel really bad. I never say that because I never feel bad about anything. But I feel bad now… There’s no cameras here. I just wanna find this fucker! I really do.

–Gale to Dewey as he questions her feelings, Scream 2

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Nice Streaks: Gale Weathers, in Scream 2.

In Scream 2, a now 33 year old Gale has written a new book about the murders that happened in Woodsboro. This then leads for her book to be adapted into a movie after Gale sold the rights to them, most likely due to the fame and wealth she’d acquire because of it, that within-universe, was based on the 1996 murders, would be known and titled as Stab (1997 limited to full release 1998), released by Sunrise Studios, which features (in-universe) famous Hollywood actors and actresses portraying them, such as Tori Spelling to Sidney (reference to Sidney’s statement in the first film, ironically) and Dewey to David Schwimmer. Gale herself would be portrayed in the film-within-the-film by (fictional) television actress, Jennifer Jolie.

Sidney, who’s now 19, is a college freshman majoring in theater at Windsor College in Ohio, alongside fellow survivor/classmate and film major, Randy Meeks. Although Sidney is grateful she saved her life, she refuses to do a sit down interview with Gale and Cotton, as well as being contempt with Gale, who by now has written adaptations on tragedies mainly based around her life, which has garnered Sidney an infamous celebrity status, much to her displeasure. Gale, working for herself and unknown network, then travels to Ohio following the brutal, tragic murders of college seniors and couple Maureen Evans and Phil Stevens, while at a local movie theater to watch a limited screening and preview of the Stab film. Gale returns, eager to wager in and cash on the events of the tragedy, seeing as it would become possibly another national headline, now more mainstream, due to true accounts set in motion, setting up potentially a sequel for the copycat murders as well. Meanwhile, Gale and Dewey's relationship, although strained at first, eventually turns heated. Gale is able to denote that the killing spree is a copycat murder spree following the one in Woodsboro, and reports this to Sheriff Lewis Hartley of Windsor College (making this the first time she has contributed for the police). Gale also has a new cameraman, Joel, who follows her in her endeavors to pursue leads.

Ghostface misses Gale

Hide and Seek Gale hides from Ghostface in Scream 2.

After Randy's death, Joel leaves Gale, leaving her and Dewey search for answers while also dealing with the problems in their relationship (Gale's intention toward Sidney with Cotton and what Gale wrote in her book about himself). The last night of the murders, while Gale and Dewey are by themselves inside the empty college campus classroom killer turns on footage of all the victims and the last taping is of them. They look in the projector room to see the killer filming them. They flee. Gale is pursuit heavily but narrowly escapes into a small room. After Dewey is finally able to communicate with her through a sound-prevention window, she witnesses Dewey getting stabbed multiple times in the back and believes he is dead. The killer pursues Gale once more but mysteriously disappears after there wasn't a way into the room.

In the climax, Gale is brought in by Nancy Loomis, known as Debbie Salt throughout the movie, to the school theater, which confuses Gale the most, due to seeing past pictures of Nancy, as the latter claims she got a makeover and shades Gale by telling her to try it as Sidney explains to Gale the weight loss she’s referring to. Following Nancy revealing her true motive and betraying her accomplice, Mickey shoots Gale after Mrs. Loomis shoots him and she falls off the stage. However, the bullet bounces off Gale's ribs, allowing her to survive. This leads for her to be unconscious during Sidney and Nancy’s face off and showdown, who manages to awake once Cotton arrives and after Nancy was shot down by him as she held Sidney in a slit position. Once the whole ordeal is over, Mickey suddenly springs to life and is shot to death by Sidney and Gale. During the end of the film, Gale finds out that Dewey is not dead and goes with him to the hospital to recover, choosing not to report in the end as she had done in the previous Ghostface killing spree.

Hollywood (2000)

I get killed in Stab 3?! I get killed?

–Gale to Dewey and Jennifer after realizing the pattern, Scream 3

In Scream 3, Gale is shown to be much more compassionate than in the first two films and their events. She is now approx. 36 years old and has written a third

Gale Scream 3

Gale in Scream 3

book based on the copycat killings at Windsor College, titled College Terror/The Windsor College Murders (1998 novel), which she again then sold the rights to adapt her book into a film, which turns into a in-universe sequel and later franchise, known as Stab 2 (1999), which would be released as a parallel to the first, seeing as the films are released not long after the book based on the tragedy is published .

Now in the first week of February 2000, Gale, who’s now working as both an anchorwoman for Total Entertainment, and a celebrity journalism speaker, returns along with Dewey, staying in Los Angeles, California, after a turned celebrity show host Cotton Weary and his girlfriend, Christine Hamilton, are murdered alone in their Hollywood condominium; as well as a new and third Ghostface killing spree, which is targeting the actors and actresses, whom are filming a third Stab film, albeit fictional due to no real-life events occurring, titled Stab 3: Return to Woodsboro. One by one, both actors and actresses in Hollywood involved in the film are being killed in reality just like their characters in the movie would be killed off, as per the script (with there being 3). Again, in Scream 3, Gale and Dewey have an acrimonious relationship based on their past together.

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Motivational Speaker: Gale at a motivational speaking event for a journalism school in Los Angeles

Gale is first seen talking to a group of students about journalism at a university seminar in Los Angeles. When the class ends, she meets up with Homicide Detective Mark Kincaid, a detective from the Los Angeles Police Department (alongside his partner, J. Wallace), who informs her about the death of Cotton and Christine. Shortly after this, goes to the set of Stab 3: Return to Woodsboro and is reunited with Dewey after meeting the actress who portrays her, Jennifer Jolie.

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Double Take: Gale meeting her Stab counterpart, actress Jennifer Jolie, for the first time.

Later, after visiting the studio lot for Stab 3 and talking with Dewey, she goes to Jennifer's house in the Hollywood Hills to see Dewey, who’s living outside Jennifer’s house in an RV/trailer. That night after Sarah’s murder, while the actors (minus Tyson) convene at Jennifer’s house for an impromptu departure party due to murders causing the film’s cancellation, Ghostface attacks and kills Steven Stone, Jennifer’s bodyguard, in Dewey’s trailer, just after catching Gale trespassing and handing her over to Dewey and letting her stay. Steven manages to stumble in his final moments to Jennifer’s front door to warn the rest as Gale and the cast stand back as Dewey confirms his murder. Gale and Dewey gather them inside.

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Blastoff: The death of Tom Prinze, and Jennifer’s house explosion, taking the leads down the hill

However, Gale and Dewey, along with the other cast- are then forced to go outside as Ghostface cuts the lights off Jennifer’s home. They would then jump down the hill to avoid the explosion and trap that killed Tom Prinze, the new actor portraying Dewey (due to David Schwimmer not returning) in the new Stab movie. Gale, Dewey, Jennifer and Angelina Tyler, the new actress who portrays Sidney (like Dewey, due to Tori Spelling not returning) all are split up. Gale is attacked by Ghostface, but is saved by Dewey. Jennifer arrives down the hill angry and punches Dewey before Gale fights back punches Jennifer (aka “Gale”) before they all then team up the next day.

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Gale and Jennifer investigating.

Prior to Roman’s birthday party at night at the Milton mansion on Friday, February 4th, and after Sidney’s escape from Ghostface attacking her in the replica of her home in Woodsboro on the empty set. Dewey, Gale, and Jennifer, with the two women in an unlikely duo, investigate the events regarding the shadiness of Sunrise Studios, which Gale and Jennifer manage to uncover the truth about learning of Sidney’s mother, Maureen, being a former actress at the studio by Bianca Burnette, who was under the stage name/alias of “Rina Reynolds”, thus being tied and connected to Sidney, who is the intended main target, explaining why she came out of hiding from her house in Northern California (as well as working as a crisis counselor over the phone for California Women's Crisis Counseling under the alias “Laura”) and arrived to Hollywood and Los Angeles (Southern California).

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Jennifer, Dewey, and Gale confronting the real monster.

The trio later confront the head of the studio, Milton, who claims that during the release of both Stab and Stab 2, withheld the information he knew personally of, due to not wanting the unwanted (albeit warranted) attention of the scandal, due to Maureen, while at a party back in late 1969, was gang raped by Milton and other film makers, which in turn, caused for her to give birth to her first, illegitimate child which she gave up after leaving Hollywood and returning to Woodsboro where she’d settle down.

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Shock: Gale and Dewey find the killer’s items, just before the party crashes.

As Gale, Dewey, and Jennifer arrive to Milton’s mansion that night to see Roman encouraging the cast to split up to “explore” the house for his birthday, both Gale and Dewey stumble upon inside a closet, a Ghostface mask, knife, phone and the voice modifier, much to their shock as Gale tests it out. As Ghostface begins to attack, Gale is split up momentarily, and stumbles across Roman’s “dead” body and teams up with Jennifer, but before they can team up fully and call out for Dewey, they both find Angelina, who tries telling them to follow her to a secret passage, before Gale reveals to her about Ghostface and Roman’s supposed death.

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Gale and Jennifer after seeing Angelina’s body dragged away.

As Gale tells her this, Angelina would panic, and who let’s go of Gale and Jennifer’s hands as she exclaims, she’s leaving, perhaps due to not trusting them, and Gale tells her how she’s not safe alone and to listen to her. Gale and Jennifer then witness Angelina’s ingénue act fall, as she proclaims madly how she “did not fuck that pig Milton to get a leading role just to die here (Milton’s mansion) with second rate celebrities like you two”, referring to her and Jennifer, much to each one’s shock before Angelina runs downstairs. Dewey calls for Gale as his voice is heard from another hallway and tells them he’s upstairs. Angelina calls “one last time” to the others to get out as well, claiming it’s crazy to still be there before Ghostface approaches Angelina as she gets downstairs and “stabs” her in the clavicle, as she’s pushed down which causes for Gale and Jennifer to collectively run towards and who look down from the upstairs banister downstairs to see Angelina motionless and supposedly being dragged away by the killer. Both women scream and run towards Dewey.

Upon finding Dewey, Gale hands him the gun (which they found during finding the Ghostface robe) and who informs him how the killer supposedly got both Roman and Angelina. Jennifer, still locked in hands with Gale asks if they’ll be safer if they stuck together. Dewey agrees and is about to ask, before Ghostface appears and punches Dewey across the face, prompting Gale and Jennifer to retreat into a bedroom before Tyson appears and asks what’s wrong before Ghostface enters and proceeds to push Tyson away. Dewey enters from behind, as Jennifer screams for him to watch out before Ghostface slashes Dewey across his arm and punches him down.

Tyson then proceeds to tackle Ghostface before being stabbed in the abdomen and pushed down, much to Gale’s shock. At this time, unbeknownst to Gale, Jennifer runs and hides in a closet before she’s then trapped in a reverse closet upon leaving back against the wall which contain two-way mirrors. Gale attempts to help her man as she grabs a vase after Dewey’s kicked in the head and throws it at Ghostface’s head, and who narrowly misses a slash as she jumps off the bed as Ghostface aims to attack her. As Tyson stumbles and runs away and begins to call for police, Ghostface sets his eyes off Gale and Dewey to kill Tyson, and ultimately Jennifer. Gale leaves the room before heading back, seemingly to find Jennifer, unbeknownst that she’s behind the mirrors of the two-way closet.

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Reaction to Jennifer’s death.

As Dewey gets back up and Gale returns to the room, Jennifer runs and screams for her life as she’s being cornered by Ghostface after attempting to leave the secret room (which was the same secret passage Angelina showed them) and who’s yelling to both Dewey and her, despite Gale not hearing at first before Dewey points out the mirrors moving. Dewey then begins to shoot at the mirrors, as Gale steps back per his command and watches on, neither aware it’s Jennifer behind the mirrors until shooting them all down, as Ghostface stabs a fighting Jennifer in the back and gut and murders her, simultaneously as Dewey tries to shoot at the right mirror. However, it’s too late and by the time the last mirror is shot, Jennifer’s body drops much to Gale’s shock, letting out a scream.

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Gale being separated from Dewey.

Gale and Dewey then leave the room as they call out for Tyson, also unaware of his murder that just took place before Jennifer’s. As Gale tries calling Tyson on his cell and Dewey tells her he’s going to check outside and turns away, Ghostface appears from behind Gale and covers her mouth in an attempt to attack her as he lifts her up. This leads them into a power struggle, as Gale seizes to let the killer release her and arrive towards a kitchen area where she struggles but manages to push Roman towards the back of the wall on a coat rack and kick the killer on the foot and shin. Ghostface then attempts to stab Gale as he raises his knife, but Gale uses her wrist and free hand as much as she can, before using the killer lifting her up by putting her feet up the wall as Ghostface and her turn around and who is facing the door on his back before Gale kicks, disabling the killer and pushing both of them down the door and a stairwell. Gale is pushed down by a makeshift guillotine which cuts the head off a mannequin.

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Gale looking up to Ghostface.

Conscious, Gale finds herself trapped as Ghostface is knocked unconscious in front of her, preventing her from leaving and going upstairs. Outside, Dewey has found Tyson’s dead body due to the fall from the balcony he was on, much to his ship and calls out for her. Hearing him, Gale calls in a medium voice for Dewey, before Ghostface begins to awake and thrash around, taking Gale back. She then proceeds to call him quietly via cell and tells Dewey of her situation and location, despite Dewey’s hesitance to respond due to the voice modifier. She whispers how he’s out cold, before Ghostface awakes and proceeds to head to stab Gale, before Dewey opens the door and attempts to shoot at him, before realizing he shot all his bullets back in the bedroom. Before they can react, Ghostface throws the end of the knife straight to Dewey’s head as he stands upstairs, which succeeds in knocking him out as Gale tends to him before she looks up to see Ghostface standing above her.

At some point before Sidney’s arrival to the mansion, both Gale and Dewey are tied down in chairs and duct taped and taken to the living room of the mansion; however, it’s unclear whether Gale put up another fight, albeit unlikely. Both Gale and Dewey call out for Sidney during her first official call with Ghostface. Both sit and yell in terror, before Ghostface ends the call with Sidney, who’s at the police station during the time. Once Sidney arrives to the mansion after doing the metal detector to disarm herself, Sidney then hangs up and who proceeds to untie Dewey and take off his mouth tape to ask where the killer is, saying he doesn’t know, before Ghostface arrives behind, and Dewey tells her loudly; Sidney is then slapped down to the floor by the end of Ghostface's knife. Gale is shocked and manages to shriek while she’s still taped on the mouth as Dewey tries to get out of his rope bindings. However, Sidney didn’t fully disarm herself and tells the killer to think again and how it’s their time to scream, before shooting the killer down 6 times and then proceeding to take Gale’s mouth tape off.

As Sidney begins to untie her, Gale is the first to notice Ghostface having disappeared from where he was shot down, alarming her and the others. Sidney then draws her gun up before Mark Kincaid arrives also gun drawn, and how he heard about the party and who asks him why he arrived without his partner. Mark then puts his gun down and persists Sidney does to her, as Gale and Dewey watch on and look at each other, as Sidney then does so, before Ghostface then almost creeps up on Sidney, as Mark then pushes her away, causing Sidney to fall and hit her head on the side of the arm on Dewey’s chair.

Mark is stabbed and who struggles to push Ghostface off as he fends off the knife, being pushed against the wall, as now both are moving through the living room, knocking things down. Dewey and Gale both call for Sidney to awake, which she does, as Gale yells for Sidney to “shoot the fucker”, referring to the killer. Mark manages to headbutt Ghostface and kick him down to the couch, as Ghostface then kicks Mark in the head, causing him to stumble and hit his head on the counter above the furnace, falling down. Gale calls again for Sidney to shoot him which Ghostface manages to duck under the couch as Sidney takes her second shot but realizes it’s her last as the gun runs out. Sidney, in defiance, throws the gun down and states to Ghostface that if he wants her, to come and get her, as Dewey then yells for her to run. Sidney manages to cause Ghostface to stumble and fall onto a glass and wooden door towards the pool, giving her enough time to run towards a room in the mansion and lock him out.

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Gale and Dewey as they prepare to run and bust down a door to find Sidney.

While Sidney and Ghostface’s short chase and ultimate reveal ensues, after Sidney manages to hide in a hidden room, Dewey manages to get loose and untie Gale as well, as both then proceed to go towards Mark, who’s alive despite being injured, and who gives Dewey the gun and tells them to get the killer. Both enter the room Sidney locked herself in and break into it. Like the mirrors in the bedroom, both Gale and Dewey manage to overhear the commotion between Sidney and who both Gale and Dewey call out for her and try to push against the bookshelf to get into the room behind the wall to no avail. Hearing it die down, Gale calls out for Sidney and tells Dewey to do something. Dewey then grabs a pair of noise clippers and who pushes them into an outlet.

This prompts Roman, the killer, unbeknownst to the survivors outside, to stop choking Sidney and who hides as Mark then arrives after unlocking the door and asks a laying Sidney where the killer is. However, Roman appears and ambushes him by throwing a chair over him, knocking him out. As Roman kneels to get Mark’s gun, Sidney gets the knife before being shot twice by Roman (unaware she has a bulletproof vest underneath). Gale calls out of Sidney, as Dewey threatens the killer from the other side of the wall as they shout and try to find another way in the room, which they manage to do, while Sidney hides after disappearing on Roman. Gale and Dewey are heard trying to get into one of the doors as Dewey tells her to get something heavy so they can break it down. As they do, the burst in just after Sidney ambushes Roman and stabs him.

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Gale and Dewey finding Sidney and Roman.

Ultimately Gale, alongside Dewey and Sidney, survive the climax in the Hollywood home of John Milton, who was killed by Ghostface revealed via slit throat, and is shocked to learn the reveal of the fifth Ghostface killer being the director for Stab 3 and Sidney’s illegitimate long lost half-brother, Roman Bridger, who had inadvertently caused the death of Sidney’s mother by leading Billy Loomis to murdering her and bringing an accomplice (Stu), due to showing him the footage he had recorded (in anger due to being shunned out by her after finding her in 1995) of Maureen’s affair with both Cotton and the secret one being with Billy’s father, Hank (leading to Nancy Loomis abandoning her family due to discovering this), who did this due to being upset at his mother and half-sister for living a perfect life. The result ended up being the death of Maureen, which was the first in the original Woodsboro Murders, which ended up being the direct basis for the books Gale would write about, and at the center being the same studio company which violated Maureen, adapting them into films. However, whether or not Roman planned this remains vague, who during his reveal, told Sidney of the family movie he made (due to his career as a director), leading to her vengeful, psychotic boyfriend and her former friend killing her mother and friends and a copycat spree followed by the mother of her psychotic ex following not long after, establishing her as cursed.

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Just Married: Gale and Dewey engaged and happy in the finale.

Partly, Gale was affected in this by the end, due to her books and fame being based on events Roman led to initiate. Following Roman’s death at the hands of Dewey, the now Legacy Trio of herself, Sidney, and Dewey reunites at Sidney’s secluded home, who are planning to watch a movie. As Gale stands outside the front porch and looks outward to Sidney happily walking her dog, Cherokee, to which she points out to her man, Dewey shows Gale her second book and asks her to sign it, despite Gale stating that she’s done with those kinds of books, but agrees to do it and who opens it to find a wedding ring inside the first page. Dewey then asks Gale to marry him, which she accepts and who shares a passionate kiss with as Gale puts the ring on. Afterwards, both got back inside to go watch a movie with Mark and Sidney, as Gale walks hand in hand with Dewey.

The Second Woodsboro Murders (2011)

Return to Woodsboro

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa. Don’t treat me like I’m the media. I helped solve these things. Three times, remember? You and me, together.

–Gale to Dewey following the news of two murders, Scream 4

Gale is trying to reinvent herself as an author but finds that she is having trouble due to writer's block. When Sidney returns to Woodsboro and the killings start again 15 years since the original, Gale is excited to have the opportunity to yet again be a part of solving the killings, even though Dewey doesn't want her involved in the investigation. Going "rogue" (as she puts it), Gale goes undercover at a Stab-a-Thon party -- a party at a barn to screen the seven Stab films -- to catch the killer. However, Gale is attacked and nearly killed by Charlie as Ghostface in the barn on camera. Thankfully, Dewey made it to the barn,

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Gale and Ghostface Gale in Scream 4 with Ghostface behind her

in time to save her and rush her to the hospital. Gale is only stabbed in the shoulder and manages to recover.

Gale survives her wounds and pieces together who the killer is by simply using logic. She is present at the final confrontation, where she distracts Jill Roberts long enough for Sidney to get the upper hand with a defibrillator. She yet again survives, tending to Dewey, who is injured on the floor.

The Third Woodsboro Murders (2022)

Divorcing from Dewey

Sometime after the 2011 attacks, Gale and Dewey divorced and she moved to New York to host her own morning show, which Dewey was an avid viewer of. Gale since quit writing as she never had time to focus on it.

Returning to Woodsboro

A text? You tell me the killer is back in a text?

–Gale as she approaches her estranged husband and sees him for the last time, Scream (2022)

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When the murders in Woodsboro start again, Dewey texts Gale to let her know and she makes the decision to return to Woodsboro, just in time to learn that Judy has been killed. She expresses her anger with Dewey for only sending her a text and the two reconcile after years of being apart.

Mourning Dewey

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When Dewey is murdered by Ghostface, Gale mourns the loss and she is reunited with Sidney, who made the decision to return to Woodsboro too. Sidney and Gale attempt to ask Samantha Carpenter for help to stop the Killer, but she declines and leaves with her boyfriend, Richie Kirsch, and sister, Tara Carpenter.

Unbeknownst to them, Sidney has left a tracker on Sam's car which they use to follow her all the way to 261 Turner Lane. As they arrive, they are met by a screaming Amber Freeman, however Gale senses the trap immediately and Amber shoots Gale, revealing herself as one of the killers. Gale tells Sidney to go inside and finish this, as they planned.

Ghostface Unmasked

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When the second killer, Richie, is unmasked, Amber brings Gale inside to the kitchen where they are replicating the ending of the original Stab movie. Richie and Amber reveal their motive as attempting to create a "requel" to Stab 8, and Gale and Sidney then fight back, setting Amber on fire, killing her.

Gale Weathers Kitchen Scene Scream 5

Gale has been shot again.

Samantha fights back against Richie and kills him by stabbing him repeatedly and then slitting his throat. As reporters dish on the murders, Samantha thanks Sidney and Gale for helping them, and then leaves in the ambulance with her sister. Gale reveals that she won't be writing about Richie and Amber, instead she will write about Dewey and the man he was, thus letting the Killers die in anonymity and their plan fail.

Aftermath of the 2022 Murders

Following the events of the 2022 Woodsboro Murders, Gale returns home to New York City. Without Dewey in her life, she reverts to the woman she once was before she met Dewey, a two-timing, ruthless, report and author. Gale goes back on her word and, figuring that someone would eventually write a book, she writes a book called Requel: Terror Returns To Woodsboro, detailing the events of the murders with her usual inaccuracies and accusations where she depicts Sam as a psychopath, further fueling rumors that Sam was the true mastermind of the 2022 murders, having framed Richie.

This causes a rift between Gale and Sam and Tara, who have since moved to New York where Gale currently resides and works as a news anchor for Channel 4. At some point between the 2022 Woodsboro Murders and the 2023 New York City Murders, Gale meets a man named Brooks whom she forms a romantic relationship with.

The New York Ghostface Murders

You know you’re like the tenth person to try this, right? And spoiler alert: it never works out for the dipshit in the mask.

–Gale to Ghostface in her official first call with them, Scream VI

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The night that Jason Carvey is murdered, Gale calls Sam after hearing about his murder on the news however Sam declines the call due to the rift between them. The next morning, following Sam and Tara's attack in the Bodega, Gale is outside the police station with numerous reporters, and she begins to question Sam and Tara about their attack, much to their annoyance. Gale reveals that she spoke to Sidney and that she won't be coming to New York and will take Mark and the kids into hiding. The trio argue about Gale's book and Sam attempts to clock Gale in the face, which she dodges due to past experience, and Tara then throws another punch and clocks her in the face before the two leave in a taxi.

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Gale looks at the booth dedicated to Dewey

Following the murders of Anika Kayoko and Quinn Bailey, Gale reveals to Sam, Tara, Kirby, Chad, Mindy, Wayne Bailey and Ethan Landry that she found an old theater registered in Jason's name. She takes them to it, revealing the theater has been transformed into a shrine dedicated to Ghostface: containing old costumes, murder weapons, props, memorabilia, masks and clothes belonging to past victims and killers. Whilst exploring the shrine, Gale has moments when she sees pictures of her and Dewey and is saddened. Gale and Sam have a heart-to-heart about bad mothers, something they share with each other.

When Wayne devises a plan to catch the Killer, Kirby excludes Gale from the plan as she's not a police officer.

Gale returns to her penthouse where she lives with Brooks, and is unaware that Ghostface is hiding inside and is luring Sam and Tara over by allowing Kirby to trace a phone call from them. Gale then receives her first ever phone call from Ghostface and whilst distracted, he murders Brooks and throws his body through a shelf. Ghostface chases Gale through the penthouse and Gale barricades herself in the bedroom and grabs her gun from a safe.

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Ghostface calls Gale again and taunts her once and Dewey's death more and Gale threatens to shoot him "in the fucking head". She hangs up on Ghostface and then re-dials his number revealing his hiding space and she fires through the door and believes he is down. Ghostface then breaks through the door and lands multiple stabs on Gale. Before Ghostface can get the final stab to kill Gale, she grabs the attack with every online of her remaining strength before fleeing after being interrupted by Sam and Tara got into her apartment and shot at Ghostface. As Gale passes out, she asks Sam and Tara to tell Sidney that she Ghostface never got her. Sam, having gained an emotional connection with Gale, begins to get emotional as she was forced to leave her.

The paramedics take Gale to the hospital, saying that she has a weak pulse. Ghostface is revealed to be Wayne who, along with his kids Quinn and Ethan, are seeking revenge against Sam for killing Richie, who is revealed to be Wayne's son and Quinn and Ethan's brother. Wayne states that once Sam and Tara are dead, they'll go to the hospital to finish Gale off. After Tara, Sam and Kirby successfully kill the trio, Danny Brackett reveals that Gale survived and is resting in the hospital.

Kill Count

The following is Gale's Ghostface kill count:

BillyDeath Billy Loomis Shot In shoulder, before being shot in the head by Sidney Prescott Scream (1996)
MickeyDeath Mickey Altieri Shot at multiple times (with Sidney Prescott) Scream 2
AmberDeath Amber Freeman Shot 2 times to the chest burnt alive/ Shot in the head by Tara Carpenter Scream (2022)

Relationships

Family

Allies

Enemies

Personality

Gale Weathers Scream 2 Promo

Gale's character progresses throughout the 5 movies from opportunistic, glory hound to a caring, family woman. She briefly returns to her original personality in the sixth film, due to writing a book sensationalizing the most recent Woodsboro Murders in 2022, of which she was a survivor from. Surviving the murder sprees creates a bond between her, Sidney, and Dewey. In Scream, Gale ensures that she always gets the story, ordering Kenny to film anything that happens.

The first solid sign of her growing is in the middle and at the end of Scream 2, she shows more growth when she opts to go with Dewey to the hospital instead of covering the story of the Windsor College Murders. She never completely lets go of that sensationalist part of her but rather grows into a deeper character, adding a softer layer. Due to her surviving the events of all of the movies, she is a rather formidable survivor along with Sidney.

Bibliography

The following are the books Gale Weathers has been an author of:

Non-Fiction

Fiction

Non-Canon:

Quotes

  • "Kenny, I know you're about 50 pounds overweight but when I say, 'hurry,' please interpret that as: 'Move your fat, tub of lard ass, NOW!'"
  • "Guess I remembered the safety that time, bastard."
  • "Hey, you'd better check your conscience at the door, sweetie. I'm not here to be loved."
  • "I AM Gale Weathers."
  • "I've got an ending for you. The reporter left for dead in the news van comes to, stumbles on you two dipshits, finds the gun, and saves the day."
  • "Tell me that's his ex-girlfriend and I'll shoot my self."
  • Going off of Jennifer Jolie's statement: "...and to be played by an actress with such depth and range!"
  • "Dewey, open the fucking door! It's me!"
  • "If I'm right about this, I could save a man's life. Do you know what that would do for my book sales?"
  • "Oh and by the way, your lemon squares...taste like ass!"
  • "Go ahead if you have the guts because I'm fucking famous!"
  • "But could I just have one final word?" ("What, please?") "No... clear."
  • "Are you familiar with the phrase I wrote the book on this?"
  • "Listen, in about 2 seconds I'm gonna revitalize your face... with my tarnished brand!"
  • "Part of something? You killed my best friend!"
  • "Fuck you." (shoots Amber Freeman 3 times)
  • "That's Why I'm going to shoot you In the FUCKING HEAD! (to Quinn Bailey)

Trivia

Casting

  • With the sixth film, Gale officially becomes the only Legacy character to appear in all six films.
  • Actress and comedienne Janeane Garofalo was offered the role but turned it down.
  • Cox lobbied for the part after initial reservations were made about her being able to portray a bitchy character, following her run on Friends as the warmer character of Monica Geller.
  • In all films except the fifth, Courteney Cox was starring in a television series while portraying the role.
    • For the first three films, she starred in Friends as Monica Geller and surprisingly didn't miss a single episode.
    • During Scream 4, she was the lead star of Cougar Town, and for the sixth film, she is starring in Shining Vale for its renewed second season.
  • Courteney Cox agreed to appear in Scream 3 only if it would be her final film but she came back for Scream 4 anyway.
  • Cox also wanted Gale to be killed off in Scream 4, but Wes denied her request.
  • Cox will be the only actor to appear on-screen in all produced six films by the time of Scream VI's release.
    • Roger L. Jackson's returns in Scream VI, but even with his reprisal, he technically only appears in voice-over form, but never physically on-screen, and does not star in all films like Cox.

Character Notes

  • With the sixth film, Gale technically becomes the only character (female) to appear in all six films (and Cox the only actor to star in all films).
    • Ghostface does not count, as it is an entity assumed by multiple people using a voice modifier rather than an individual person. Though elements of the series do portray him almost as his own character, particularly in the fifth film.
  • Gale was played by fictional actress Jennifer Jolie in Stab, Stab 2 and the cancelled Stab 3: Return to Woodsboro.
  • Gale is both a reporter and an author.
  • Gale’s role as the deuteragonist, as well as according to her being the “brains “ and “sex appeal “ within the Legacy characters (despite these traits being found on other characters in the franchise originally, such as Randy and Tatum in the first film; with Randy as the brains, and Tatum the sex appeal) makes her the third character from the Legacy Trio of whose character and traits are reiterated into other characters within both the film and TV series such as:
    • Hallie McDaniel, Nancy Loomis and Mickey Altieri (Scream 2, with both representing her characteristics as being sassy yet true and direct in their motives, as well as going to great lengths, both Mickey and Nancy similar to Gale in those places).
    • Jennifer Jolie, Sarah Darling and Roman Bridger (Scream 3, similar to past movie, and despite being the actress who portrayed her, shares the same “bitch” traits her previous character shared; as well as Roman in being dedicated to his craft).
    • Kirby Reed, Rebecca Walters and Jill Roberts (Scream 4, despite Rebecca being a minor character, parallels Gale’s old motives and mindset; with Kirby having thick skin akin to that of Gale; Jill’s reveal and going full derivative in getting her needs is much like Gale).
    • Audrey Jensen, Brooke Maddox, and Piper Shaw (Season 1-2 of the TV series, seeing that despite different cliches, Audrey endured and was tough skinned and had her sarcastic sass to survive, like Gale; Piper in that she took a journalistic cover to report, albeit was more like Nancy, but nonetheless like Gale; with Brooke also like Audrey, in that despite her superficial front, her characteristics linked her survival, like Gale).
    • Kym, Liv Reynolds, and Beth (Season 3, seeing as Kym is more aligned to Gale in that her character was sassy and whose “bitch” traits and thick skin let her survive; Liv had an attitude when confronted, but was nonetheless for the good, like Gale; Beth, like Gale, was sarcastic and determined as Ghostface).
    • Liv McKenzie, Wes Hicks, and Amber Freeman (Scream (2022)); due to the fact Liv is rebellious and despite her sassiness not alluding to her survival, she is like Gale in that she is sarcastic when attacked and serious when angry; like Gale, Wes was shown to be sarcastic and caring for those around her, like Gale later in the films; despite being her husbands killer, Amber’s ambiguity and determination in her goals despite sadistic, is similar to Gale earlier in the franchise).
    • Anika Kayoko, Wayne Bailey, and Quinn Bailey (Scream VI: like Hallie before her, Anika’s support for her friends and sassiness, aligns to Gale as she developed; like father and daughter killers (Bailey’s) to mother and son (Loomis’s) before them, Wayne was centered, like Nancy, Mickey, Roman, Jill, Piper, and Beth before him, in his career and craft, much like Gale was, as well as his sarcasm; Quinn, like Gale, was shown to be sassy and “sex-positive”, who’s sultry image and sass are akin to Gale’s in Scream 2).
  • Gale wrote several books, including one about Weary's innocence, on the Woodsboro Murders (first and third ones only; unstated if she revealed the events of the second in book about third), and a book exposing Sunrise Studios after writing about the Hollywood Murders .
  • Gale punched Jennifer Jolie (who played Gale).
    • This symbolizes more of Gale's likeness and bond towards Sidney in trauma and survival. At times, Gale will display a survivor's edge look along with Sidney.
  • Other than the fact she is married to Dewey, her own family hasn't appeared and has only been mentioned in the series as of Scream VI, with it being her parents.
  • Gale Weathers has been punched three times:
    • Sidney in Scream (punched) and Scream 2 (backhanded),
    • Tara once in Scream VI.
      • Sam attempts to punch Gale and she dodged, however, Tara finishes it which connects as she and Sam both resemble Sidney.
  • In Scream 3, Gale becomes the one to punch Jennifer who plays “Gale” in Stab, in a meta way, showing her character growth.
    • While in Scream 4, she threatens to punch Rebecca, showing she had softened even more.
    • In Scream (2022), she delivers a punch to Amber in anger for killing Dewey.
  • Gale is arguably as formidable against Ghostface as Sidney by Scream (2022).
  • Gales character (female) in the films, in regards to surviving Ghostface and overall, is the oldest main character in the franchise (disregarding characters in absentia).
    • Seeing as she was in her early to mid-30s, during the events of the original trilogy and turning 47 in the fourth film, and on the cusp of her sixties in the fifth (57) and sixth films (59).
    • She was also the oldest member in the Legacy Trio,
      • Second being her late husband , Dewey, who was in his late mid 20s to early 30s in the original trilogy, before being 40 and 50 in the fourth and fifth films.
      • Third, Sidney would be the youngest, logically, due to being in her late teens to early adulthood 20s in the original trilogy, and 32 in the fourth film and 42 in the fifth.
    • Gale will possibly be most likely succeeded within the new films/generation by Samantha Carpenter, who is currently the oldest member in her survivor group, the Core Four (due to being 23-24 and 25 at the time of the new first (fifth overall) and second (sixth) killing sprees she’s survived).
  • Gale shares an emotional bond with Samantha during Scream VI as she did with her late husband Dewey Riley during Scream 2.
    • Except it’s more of a family bond between Gale and Sam as they both were shunned by their mothers. This is evident when Sam is emotional when Gale could possibly die from her Ghostface attack.
  • She was described as "Thirties; her smart face is overshadowed by a flashy smile and a massive mane of chemically enhanced hair" in the first Scream script.
  • In the original script for Scream 2, she was depicted as being closer to Sidney and was killed at the end of the script.
  • She was described as "GALE WEATHERS, the flashy thirty-something news anchor and author of the WOODSBORO MURDERS" in the Scream 3 script.
  • In Scary Movie, the parody character based on Gale is named "Gail Hailstorm" and has written a book entitled "You're Dead, I'm Rich".
  • Gale has been punched 3 times in Scream, Scream 2 and Scream VI.
  • In the 6th film she began a relationship with a much younger man named Brooks. In 2009 Courtney Cox starred in the show Cougar Town as Jules Cobb, a woman in her 40s navigating life. Gale herself would be considered a cougar for dating a much younger man.

Gallery

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Gale Weathers has a Photo Gallery.

Appearances

Character Guide

  1. According to Scream 3 DVD Bonus — Lori Thomas played Gale in Stab 2; continuity error.
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