Events surrounding the horror series Scream are coming to a head: A few hours ago it was announced that the production studio Spyglass was separating from leading actress Melissa Barrera, who had played the character Sam Carpenter in two films. reason were controversial social media posts about the Israel-Hamas war, which the actress posted on her Instagram profile. You can find out more background information here.
Now the well-informed industry publication Deadline reports that Barrera’s film partner Jenna Ortega will not be taking part in the upcoming Scream 7 either. However, your exit has nothing to do with the Barrera situation. At X there had already been speculation about Ortega’s solidarity campaign. According to the report, this expressly does not correspond to reality. In its article, the Hollywood Reporter cites its own sources who confirm this.
Why is Jenna Ortega leaving Scream 7?
Paramount
Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega in Scream
Jenna Ortega cannot take part in the filming of Scream 7 because the production schedule conflicts with that of the Netflix series Wednesday, it is said. This scenario was already discussed before the actors’ strike in Hollywood. The fact that Ortega won’t be in Scream 7 doesn’t mean she’s finally leaving the series. A return is possible, just not in Scream 7. Jenna Ortega played Barrera’s film sister Tara Carpenter.
What’s next for Scream?
Within less than 24 hours, a pile of broken glass had spread out in front of those responsible for Scream. With Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, the series loses its current heart. Whether the rest of the cast can absorb the double loss seems more than questionable at this point. Of the cast that restarted the cult series in 2021, Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown are still left.
The film will be directed by Christopher Landon (Freaky, Disturbia). Regarding Barrera’s expulsion, he said on X: “This is my statement: Everything sucks. Stop screaming. That wasn’t my decision.” He later deleted the post.
Scream 7 has so far no official theatrical release. Most recently, work on the project was interrupted due to the strike by screenwriters and actors in Hollywood. There is also still no finished script for the movie. With further planning, the question now arises: What can a Scream film look like without the two regular leading actresses? And ultimately: Does a continuation of the successful series even make sense under these circumstances?