Dewey Is The Serial Killer Mastermind In 'Scream' According To This Theory

A clue suggests Dewey controls Billy and Stu. Dewey suffered the same injuries as the teens who stabbed each other to look like victims. Billy and Stu claim shallow cuts prevent suspicion.

Dewey also hasshallow knife punctureson his back and a broken arm. These injuries were not life-threatening. Why would Billy and Stu let Dewey off the hook after they injured others, unless Dewey played a part?

Sidney Prescott lives in the middle of nowhere. Her father's house sits among woods and rolling green hills. The film's final helicopter shot shows thatno one liveswithin a mile of the family. How does Deputy Dewey reach her house so fast?after she tries to call 911?after she tries to call 911?

As Ghostface chases Sidney through her home, she calls 911 from her computer before the intruder stops her. She escapes and reaches the front door, finding Deweywaiting with the Ghostface mask.Fans doubt Dewey's quick arrival. He might just watch for his sister's friend, but he may have given Billy a ride to the remote home.

Clues pointing to Dewey's role in the Ghostface attacks appear in the firstScreamfilm. Some hints are big; others are small. One subtle hint, pointed out by many fans, is Ghostface'spolice-issue shoes—the shoes Dewey wears.

Online research quickly showsthe tactical gear Woodsboro officers use. However, in 1996, internet shopping was not that thorough. Finding police footwear required knowing someone in law enforcement. Thus, Dewey likely gave Billy and Stu police boots to hide their identities.Something fans find odd about Dewey is how he handles his sister Tatum's death. After a garage door breaks her neck, he shows no grief. Some think he only saw his sister as collateral damage in his obsession to win her best friend, Sidney.

One theory about Dewey's control in the

Screamfilms suggests he never mourned Tatum because he was involved in her death. We do not know if he told Billy and Stu to kill her. But if he ordered the killings, he had to expect his sister would become a target.One of

Scream'smajor twists happens midway. Billy is taken into custody by Dewey after he is found near Sidney's place with a cell phone in his pocket. Dewey brings him in as the main Ghostface suspect, meaning Billy is watched when Sidney gets a call from the masked killer.By bringing Billy to the station,

Dewey actively gives Sidney's ex an alibiDewey actively gives Sidney's ex an alibiThis move distracts Billy and lets Stu call Sidney so Billy gets out. The audience thinks Stu makes the call while Billy is locked up. Dewey stays in his room with the door shut while the call happens. Dewey does not leave his room until the call ends, even though Sidney and Tatum seem upset during the talk.

One theme running through the Scream franchise involves this.ScreamDeputy Dewey does not help catch masked killers. In every movie, Dewey gets knocked out, hurt, or sleeps through important moments. Some fans, like Redditor /u/zionhyome, think this is intentional.zionhyomeThese fans believe this is purposeful:

Dewey is always knocked out or busy during the final fight. This is the main point for me. During this time, he could be acting. If he is involved, he gains nothing by either side. He might wait for the fight to end, then take the side of the winner.

In most Scream scenes,Dewey is always near the action.Dewey appears right before or after Ghostface shows up. Whether he appears at Sidney's house after Billy attacks her or at the school where the principal died, Dewey stays close by.

More than Billy or Stu, Dewey acts like Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and the other killers who followed in their heavy steps. Like those characters, Dewey is almost everywhere and always in places you don't want him. Whether Dewey attacks or directs the killings, his constant presence proves his involvement.

Obsession does not prove anything.Deputy Dewey did not orchestrate teen killings, but Billy and Stu's motives, plus every character who becomes Ghostface in the Scream franchise, do.The only difference between Dewey and people like Stu and Jill is that Dewey is never caught.The only difference between Dewey and Stu and Jill is that Dewey is never caught.

The first movie states Dewey is obsessed with Sidney. His crush shows. Though his feelings shift from romantic to protective and friendly, Dewey still seeks to be near her as much as possible. Dewey's obsession may have grown until he made a demand: if he could not have her, no one could.

Once Dewey decided to kill Sidney, he just needed to find two teenage partners to finish his plan.

This theory uses location, timing, and signs. When Sidney and Tatum shop for snacks, Ghostface trails them; his reflection appears in the ice cream freezer. In the next scene,Dewey eats ice cream.

The timing suggests a connection. Many people think the correlation is too close for comfort. Wes Craven signals the audience to watch Dewey. For Dewey's ice cream to stay solid, he needed to be nearby or already in the shop.

The idea is that knowing horror movies lets characters survive slasher film situations. Billy and Stu studied the bloodiest flicks and follow those rules, giving them an edge against their friends.ScreamKnowing horror films lets characters survive slasher scenarios. Billy and Stu studied the bloodiest slasher flicks and play by those rules, which helps them against their friends.

Dewey does not boast about his horror knowledge as much as video store clerk Randy, even though Dewey does not brag about his horror knowledge.Dewey is clearly a student of the genre.Dewey lists the plot of Scream. He also rattles off the plot of The Town That Dreaded Sundown.The Town That Dreaded SundownDewey never finishes his relationship with Gale Weathers. This follows the number one rule for horror movie survivors.

Billy and Stu fail to kill Sidney by the end of Scream.ScreamMany copycats start using their skills in later films, all trying to take down the scream queen.the scream queenRedditor /u/zionhyome theorizesDewey is behind every version of Ghostface in the franchise.

Dewey stays close to Ghostface in every movie without being targeted. The only times Dewey was harmed were during the Billy Loomis and Stu Macher slayings. Other characters saw Dewey, but it is strange to think he was in front of the camera Gale placed there.

By the end ofScreamBilly and Stu used Dewey. They switched from a kitchen knife to his side arm. The pair did not get the knife by accident; they used it in their plan to frame Sidney's father for a rampage before he apparently killed himself with the same tool. Redditor /u/DripDripStar theorizes:

The only problem with their plan was the arm in question was Dewey's. It was inside the house because Sydney took it off of Dewey after he was harmed and was lying outside on the porch. They had no way of knowing where Dewey would be; he left for a walk with Gale Weathers and could have gone elsewhere. They did not know he would return (only in reality they did because it was all a plan). The only arm used was Dewey's. This means one thing: Dewey Riley is the mastermind arranging all these slayings.

When Gale Weathers first appears in Woodsboro, the locals treat her coldly. The police iced her out, Sidney punched her, and when Gale complained, the police—especially Dewey—ignored her.One fan theoryclaims that Dewey sees the reporter as a threat to his plan.

This theory suggests Dewey kept Gale distant during the movie to avoid getting caught. Dewey plans to eliminate her after they walk in the woods near Sidney's house. Suddenly, the two become romantically involved. We do not know if Dewey loves Gale or just copies her feelings, like Billy copies Sidney's. Either way, Dewey plays a long game.