They could've capitalised on the Mark Kincaid situation

They could've capitalised on Patrick Dempsey not returning as Mark Kincaid, and also mirrored the original film.

So well all know the Mark references in 5 and 6 were supposed to be about Mark Kincaid from Scream 3. However Dempsey declined the offer to come back in 7. So instead they made out it was a completely different Mark.

Instead of doing this, they could've weaved it into the story, and have it be that Dempsey's Mark Kincaid was Sidney's husband and the father of her daughters, however, a year before the events of 7, he was murdered. Mirroring Maureen's murder and teenage Sidney's arc in the original film. If Dempsey wasn't going to return here for 7, he never would've, let's be honest. The arc could differ slightly because he could've been the Sheriff of the town and it looks as though he was killed in the line of duty, even though his killer hasn't been discovered.

And then Joel McHale could play a different named character, let's say "Daniel" for example, who was Mark's close friend and deputy. And now almost a year on he is getting close to Sidney. This would also make Sidney's love interest less trustworthy and more of a suspect.

They could've even made the new killers motive mirror Billy's as well, with Mark maybe having an affair or whatever. But I see that could've been too alike as well.