On Tuesday, Scream franchise producers Spyglass Media terminated the contract of Melissa Barrera, who portrays Sam Carpenter in the franchise. The decision came after her Instagram stories on the Israel-Palestine conflict, where she accused Israel of committing genocide and called for Palestine’s freedom. On Wednesday, the franchise faced another setback when sources suggested Jenna Ortega’s exit from Scream VII due to scheduling conflicts.
Ortega will head to Ireland in April 2024 for the second season shoot of her acclaimed Netflix series, Wednesday. The Scream VII script is not yet ready, and a schedule for the film is yet to be announced, but Ortega’s Wednesday shoot will go into the summer, making it difficult for her to commit to the film franchise.
Also Read: Jenna Ortega Felt “Thrown to the wolves” After Sudden Rise To Fame as Hollywood Scream Queen
After Melissa Barrera’s Controversial Firing, Jenna Ortega Reportedly Quits Scream 7
Spyglass Media’s statement, after firing Melissa Barrera, accused the actress of making antisemitic remarks. However, fans of the franchise were not happy with the decision, since Barrera’s involvement made the movies far more successful. The production house was also scrutinized earlier when salary negotiations with Neve Campbell collapsed, leading her to decide against returning to the franchise.
However, the firing of Barrera was followed by another major setback for Spyglass, as their next intended lead, Jenna Ortega, reportedly decided to quit the franchise. Ortega plays Tara Carpenter, the sister of Barrera’s character. The Beetlejuice 2 actress’s departure reportedly has nothing to do with Barrera’s firing but is due to scheduling conflicts with the shoot of Wednesday Season 2.
Jenna Ortega will not return for ‘SCREAM 7’.
(Source: Deadline) pic.twitter.com/Lsb8b1bAKt
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 22, 2023
Fans on X have begun connecting the dots, suggesting that the Vida actress’s dismissal may have made the decision easier for The Fallout actress. They unleashed their rage upon Spyglass and Paramount, criticizing the studios for killing the franchise with such poor decisions. Some fans have already predicted the upcoming movie to be one of the worst without its original leads, while others suggest the studio drop the project altogether.
They made a HUGE mistake………………
— ladidai 📲 gems in link in bio (@ladidaix) November 22, 2023
Spyglass and Paramount have destroyed the Scream franchise. They should be ashamed. Proud of Jenna for standing up for what she believes in, same with Melissa!
— RJ (@ResonantJustice) November 22, 2023
Amazing news. Spyglass killed their own IP.
— Croc | 🦦 (@Croc_Block) November 22, 2023
scream 7 about to be the worst movie of all time lmao
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) November 22, 2023
Literally why even make the movie at this point
— Croc | 🦦 (@Croc_Block) November 22, 2023
F scream 7 they got rid Melissa Barrera, who carried the last 2 scream movies am glad Ortega made the right decision I hope the rest of the cast leaves to
— Mo Lucas 🇲🇦🇬🇧 (@Mighty1Lucas) November 22, 2023
Barrera and Ortega’s addition elevated the franchise’s popularity among modern audiences, with Scream VI opening at a franchise-record $44.4 million at the domestic box office.
Melissa Barrera’s Firing Points To The Downsides Of ‘Cancel Culture’
Melissa Barrera received massive backlash due to her remarks on Instagram, mentioning Palestine as a “colonized” land and stating, “Palestine will be free”. Following the backlash from the online community, she was fired from the franchise. The In the Heights star stood firm in her personal beliefs even after her firing, raising some significant questions about the ‘cancel culture’ prevailing in Hollywood.
Besides Barrera, talent agent Maha Dakhil was also fired as a board member of the Creative Artists Agency after her pro-Palestine stance. Scream VII director Christopher Landon was frustrated with the studio’s decision in a now-deleted tweet, stating, “This is my statement: Everything s*cks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make.”
Scream V and Scream VI, starring Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, are now available for streaming on Paramount+.
