Veteran comic actor Joel McHale has made his breakthrough this year with movie roles that showcase his incredible versatility. He played doting father, secret lover, authority figure, and action star all in one. He didn’t get any laughs, but that was the point.
There may be one interesting thing about this showcase of McHale. That’s what happened in “Scream 7.” Yes, it’s the sixth sequel to Wes Craven’s iconic horror series (which just surpassed $200 million in global box office receipts), and it unwittingly gave us this dynamic performance. It’s a bit role that most actors couldn’t make a meal of, and proves that the former “Soup” host is quietly gaining momentum as an on-screen presence. Please listen.
McHale will play Mark Evans, the sheriff of a sleepy town where Scream queen Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her family are trying to survive further attacks from the Ghostface killer from their past. Mark is Sidney’s husband and father to their children, including teenage Tatum (co-star Isabel May).
Indeed, the first moments on the screen evoke a feeling of disbelief. “Are you Joel McHale?” It’s one of the strange things about this man that his main on-screen uniform is the one he wears on Fox’s long-running sitcom Animal Control. Scream director Kevin Williamson’s casting of McHale initially seems to indicate a “direction” for the character — another hapless, crazy man who puts innocents in harm’s way, or maybe even his own ghost face (all in homage to Scream’s OG incompetent cop David Arquette).
However, the resulting performance is exactly the opposite. McHale’s first task is to make his marriage work with the Campbell family’s Sidney, and the actors find low-key sexual chemistry as a middle-aged couple who steal intimate moments between school trips and knife attacks. McHale then navigates a heated argument between Sydney and her eldest daughter. Ostensibly it’s about borrowing the iconic leather jacket (from Scream 2), but it’s more broadly about how Sidney’s secrecy about his past damaged his trust with Tatum. McHale plays the role of mediator perfectly and does not sacrifice any dignity in the process.
Finally, and perhaps the most left-field choice in the “Scream” canon, McHale’s Mark Evans is extremely competent. He has good instincts as a cop (instincts like “Hey, baby, don’t run into a house where a murderer is hiding”). He is an active listener and is not quick to judge. He is reconciled and does not want to kill his wife and children. He can throw punches and can survive being slashed several times in the abdomen. He fills out the police uniform (important!). In short, one of the industry’s most prominent horror fans told me after last month’s premiere of Scream 7 at the Paramount venue that, for reasons I don’t know, “he actually believes in the women around him” when they sense impending death.
This isn’t a typical “Scream” trope. Men in this world tend to fall into two categories. One is a matinee idol who is either a secret serial killer or a dud, and the other is a frustrated virgin (close to an incel) who misses the plot and ends up with a knife to her skull. It’s a breath of fresh air that McHale can represent the voice of reason while also falling prey to the superhuman eccentricity of Ghostface. It’s also a departure from the biting sarcasm we’re used to seeing from him, and a welcome new perspective from his notable works like “Community” and “Ted.”
Although McHale doesn’t fully agree with my premise due to “impostor syndrome,” he says the job, combined with his strong cameo on the recent season of “The Bear,” was rewarding.
“I still can’t believe people would point cameras at me and try to set records. When I came to Hollywood 25 years ago, my hope was to do all of this,” McHale said in a recent talk with Variety. “I started with “Soup,” and thought if Greg Kinnear could turn that same opportunity into an Oscar nomination for “As Good as It Gets,” at least I had a People’s Choice Award nomination in me.”
He believes his chemistry with Campbell is the reason for the success of “Scream 7.”
“Every scene with her is like fireworks. Being with someone who can hit the ball back harder and faster felt like working with Jeremy Allen White,” McHale said. The offer to play Mark was made several weeks before production began, and McHale asked his teenage son if it would be a good fit.
He remembers his son saying, “What the heck, you idiot? If you get that job, maybe you can make it again.” “Scream 7” is currently available to rent on a variety of platforms, so viewers at home can find out if young McHale was right.
