‘Scream VII’: What to know after Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega’s departure

The Scream franchise won’t be the same after that Melissa Barrera‘s shooting and Jenna Ortega‘s departure prior to the seventh film.

Before its shocking dismissal, Scream became a horror staple for decades. The first film, released in 1996, focused on Sidney Prescott (No Campbell) as she battled countless killers who hid their identities behind the Ghostface persona. The final girl got help from fellow OG Scream characters Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Dewey Riley (David Arquette), which led to the creation of three sequels in 1997, 2000 and 2011.

The franchise was revived almost ten years later Scream 4 was released. This allowed Scream to bring in new leads Sam (Barrera) and Tara Carpenter (Ortega). With the changes came surprising exits, such as Campbell’s decision to part ways with the franchise after filming the fifth installment due to failed salary negotiations.

The uproar continued when news broke in November 2023 that Barrera spoke out about her support for Palestine amid a Middle East conflict with Israel, leading to her being fired. That same month, Deadline reported that Ortega will also quit due to a conflicting filming schedule with Netflix’s Wednesday.

Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about Scream VII:

Who returns?

Before Barrera and Ortega’s departure, fans expected both to reprise their roles. Jasmine Savoy Brown And Mason Gooding are the remaining actors who form the “Core Four” on-screen friend dynamic and will presumably return as well.

Since Sam’s boyfriend Danny (Tom Segarra) was left alive at the end Scream VIIt was assumed that he would remain part of the group. For his part, Segarra confirmed that he had plans to play Danny in more episodes Scream.

Scream VI also left the door open for older characters like Gale (Cox) and Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere) to perform in the future.

Which cast members aren’t coming back?

Campbell, who was an OG Scream star, Sidney did not appear in the sixth film. Despite the outcry from devoted fans, it doesn’t appear that Campbell and the studio have come to an agreement on her salary, so she likely won’t be back in Scream VII.

Barrera was the second shocking exit from the Scream franchise. After her firing made headlines, production company Spyglass Media Group denied that Barrera’s pro-Palestine comments caused the decision.

“Spyglass’s position is unequivocally clear: we have zero tolerance for anti-Semitism or incitement to hatred in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, distortion of the Holocaust, or anything that flagrantly crosses the line of hate speech,” read their report from November 2023. statement to Variety.

Ortega will also not return due to previous film commitments.

What creative shakeups have taken place?

After Spyglass Media Group acquired the rights to develop the fifth film, Tyler Gillett And Matt Bettinelli-Olpin were hired as directors for the project. The duo returned for Scream VIbut the next episode would happen Christopher Landonwho is known for his involvement in Happy dying day And Bizarre. However, Landon announced in late December 2023 that he has left the project.

“I think this is a good time to announce that I have formally left Scream 7 weeks ago,” Landon shared via X (formerly known as Twitter). “This will disappoint some and delight others. It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart broke for everyone involved. Everyone. But it’s time to move on. I have nothing more to add to the conversation than I hope Wes [Anderson’s] legacy thrives and rises above the noise of a divided world. What him and Kevin [Williamson] created is something amazing and I was honored to bask in their glow for even the briefest moment.

Where has the story gone?

Scream VI focused on Sam’s state of mind as she grappled with the revelation that she is the daughter of the first Ghostface killer, Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich). Reddit trolls began theorizing that Sam was the person who killed her loved ones because of her father’s murderous past. Sam found a way to come to terms with the fact that her father was a murderer, while refusing to go down the same path.

Meanwhile, Sam’s sister, Tara, tried to put the past behind her after moving to New York City. Towards the end of the sixth film, Tara found love with her boyfriend Chad (Gooding).

What fan theories can be addressed?

The popular fan theory that one of the original Ghostface killers is Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) wasn’t really dead has been brought up many times since the franchise was revived. Lillard has enthusiastically supported the idea of ​​him returning in some capacity Scream VI kept that option open.

Related: Every star who donned the Ghostface mask in the ‘Scream’ films

A scary movie icon! While the original Scream premiered in 1996, many stars have taken on the role of Ghostface in the franchise’s many sequels. The masked killer, who later became known as Ghostface, first appeared in the first slasher film. The first film follows Sidney Prescott, played by Neve […]

What does Melissa Barrera’s departure mean for Sam?

Before firing, Barrera discussed where she would like to see Sam’s story go.

“That’s one of the reasons that when I read the script for Scream 5, I was so interested in the character. There is so much potential here where she could go with her mental health – she is just unpredictable,” the actress shared Digital spy in June 2023. “I find that that darkness in her makes her much more interesting to play and to watch.”

Barrera continued, “She’s the hero, but she’s also kind of the villain. It’s this contradiction in her that I find fascinating and if we can do another one I’d love to see it. The writers have done a really good job with her so far, so I trust they know where to take her [in a way] that will be unexpected and cool for the fans.”