One year after officially quitting Scream 7, Jenna Ortega revealed what actually led to her departure from the famous slasher film franchise.
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While speaking to The Cut, Ortega stated her Scream departure had nothing to do with pay or scheduling, despite previous reports.
“The Melissa [Barrera] stuff was happening,” she explained, referring to Barrera’s removal from the franchise after she spoke out about the Israeli-Hamas war. “And it was all kind of falling apart.”
She noted, “If Scream 7 wasn’t going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn’t seem like the right move for me in my career at the time.”
Before Barrera’s firing and Ortega’s departure, Matt Bettinelli and Tyler Gillett, who directed both of Ortega’s Scream movies, were replaced by Christopher Landon.
Barrera and Ortega played sisters Tara and Sam Carpenter in Scream 5 and Scream 6, and were planning to reprise their roles for Scream 7.
Melissa Barrera Previously Revealed She and Jenna Ortega “Chatted For A While” About the Scream 7 Situation
During a 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Melissa Barrera stated she and Jenna Ortega had a lengthy conversation about her Scream 7 firing.
“I love her so much,” Barrera said about Ortega. “She’s been very supportive of me, and we’re sisters for life.”
Although Barrera and Ortega will not be returning for the upcoming film, some of their co-stars will be reprising their roles. Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding are returning as twins Mindy and Chad.
The franchise’s original star, Neve Campbell, is returning for the latest installment. The film will also feature Scott Foley and Matthew Lillard, former Ghostfaces. They each had shocking deaths in the past films.
Kevin Williamson has replaced Landon as director.
Scream 7 will hit theaters in 2026.