Dewey Riley

Sheriff Dwight "Dewey" Riley is a fictional Sheriff and the tritagonist of the Scream film series. He was played by actor David Arquette and was introduced in the 1996 film Scream. Arquette reprised the role of Dewey Riley for Scream 2 in 1997, Scream 3 in 2000 and Scream 4 in 2011. In the films, Dewey is the Sheriff of Woodsboro, California and is currently one of three survivors of the Woodsboro murders of 1996.

Notes & Trivia



 * Dewey Riley is one of three main characters from the series to appear in all four films. The others are Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers.


 * Actor David Arquette was married to fellow Scream co-star Courteney Cox from June 12th, 1999 to May 28th, 2013.


 * David Arquette is the son of Lewis Arquette who appeared with him in Scream 2 in the role of Chief Hartley.


 * Actor Matt Keeslar played a film actor named Tom Prinze in Scream 3. Keeslar's character was cast to play a version of Dewey Riley in the John Milton film, Stab 3.


 * Dewey is the only protagonist other than Sidney Prescott to kill the main antagonist of the film (Dewey killed Roman Bridger, the main antagonist of Scream 3.)


 * Dewey is the only survivor in Scream to not break one of the horror movie rules established by Randy Meeks.

Injuries

 * Dewey is stabbed in the back by either Billy Loomis or Stu Macher in Scream when he investigates the Prescott household. Dewey survives the ordeal but is left with severed spinal nerves.


 * During a "meet cute" scene in Scream 2, Gale and Dewey accidentally bump heads while trying to pick something up off the floor. It is probably the only time that they bumped heads without butting heads.


 * Dewey is stabbed once again in the back behind a two-way mirror by either Mickey Altieri or Debbie Loomis as Gale Weathers looks on. Dewey once again survives due to the scar tissue in his back.


 * Dewey is punched in the face by Jennifer Jolie in Scream 3 following the explosion at Jennifer's house.


 * Dewey is hit in the forehead by the handle of a knife by Roman Bridger in Scream 3 and falls backwards down the basement stairs.


 * During the film's closing moments in Scream 4, Jill Roberts hits Dewey several times in the head with a bedpan when she catches him off-guard in the hospital room.

Body count

 * Roman Bridger: During the "they always come back" moment in Scream 3, Dewey shoots Roman multiple times, unaware of his bulletproof vest. Sidney Prescott shouts "the head!" at Dewey, who follows suit and shoots Roman in the head.

Appearances

 * Scream
 * Scream 2
 * Scream 3
 * Scream 4