Mrs. Riley (forename and née unknown) is the mother of Dewey and Tatum Riley. She only appears in Scream (1996 film), and is unmentioned in the sequels.
She was portrayed by Frances Lee McCain.
Scream (1996 film)
Mrs. Riley told Sidney Prescott, her daughter's best friend, that there was a call for her. She asked Tatum how Sidney was coping with her recent attack and soon rushed to Sidney's side when she panicked on the phone. She called for Dewey's help, concerned that Ghostface was harassing Sidney.
After this event, Mrs. Riley's only daughter is murdered by Billy Loomis, one of the revealed killers.
Scream (2022 film)
The fifth film reveals Mrs. Riley chose to cremate her daughter, Tatum's corpse, after the events of the original film. Later, her only surviving child is also brutally murdered.
Her son, Dewey, now 51, is seen living in a trailer. He is last seen in possession of Tatum's ashes kept in a small memorabilia shrine next to a framed photo of her son and ex-daughter-in-law, Gale Weathers, labelled "Tatum".
Fate
It is unknown if Mrs. Riley is still alive, as Gale nor Sidney mention concern for her reaction after Dewey's brutal murder. If she passed away, it seems more likely Dewey would also be in possession of his mother's ashes. However, it is also possible that Dewey's father is in possession of them if he is alive.
Another possibility of her death stems from the fact that Dewey may be in possession of Tatum's ashes completely, if they are not spread among family members.
Relationships
Family
- Mr. Riley - Husband
- Dewey Riley † - Son
- Tatum Riley † - Daughter
- Gale Weathers - Ex-Daughter-in-Law
- Mr. Weathers - Ex-Co-Parent-in-Law
- Mrs. Weathers - Ex-Co-Mother-in-Law
Allies
- Sidney Prescott - Daughter's Best Friend
Enemies
- Ghostface
- Billy Loomis † - Daughter's Ex-Friend / Killer
- Amber Freeman † - Son's Killer
Trivia
- She is described as "a friendly, graying woman. This is Mama Riley. She wears a comforting smile" in an early script for Scream.
- Her husband is unseen, and she is known as "Mrs.", indicating that she is married. It is possible she is a widow, or their father is working out of town.
- It is possible she passed away between the murder of her daughter and the murder of her son 26 years apart (continuity error).
Appearances
- Scream (1996 film)
Character Guide
| Scream Characters | ||
| Principal Characters | Sidney Prescott • Gale Weathers • Dewey Riley • Ghostface | |
| Recurring Supporting Characters | Randy Meeks • Cotton Weary | |
| Supporting Characters | Billy Loomis • Tatum Riley • Stu Macher • Kenny Brown • Sheriff Burke • Arthur Himbry • Casey Becker • Steven Orth | |
| Recurring Minor Characters | Neil Prescott • Maureen Prescott • Hank Loomis | |
| Ghostface(s) | Billy Loomis • Stu Macher | |