The “Scream” franchise lost two stars this week, including 'Wednesday' star Jenna Ortega, putting the seventh film in the series in a creative conundrum.
Jenna Ortega has exited "Scream 7" due to scheduling conflicts with the shooting of "Wednesday" Season 2. This development follows the recent termination of her co-star Melissa Barrera from the horror film, a decision linked to Barrera's social media posts about Israel and Palestine. It's worth noting that Ortega's departure had been in the works for months, unrelated to Barrera's firing and predating the SAG-AFTRA strike.
“This has nothing to do with the fallout from Melissa Barrera‘s firing yesterday by Spyglass Media over that actress’ social media repostings on the Hamas-Israel conflict; nor does it have to do with the actress asking for an end to her Scream contract,” writes Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline’s editorial director.
Ortega is also involved in filming Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice 2," which has a few remaining days of shooting after being impacted by the strike. The production dates for "Wednesday" Season 2 are yet to be confirmed.
Ortega and Barrera played the roles of sisters Tara and Sam Carpenter in the revived "Scream" series in 2022 and its sequel "Scream VI" this year. Together with a mix of new and returning cast members, they revitalized the once-dormant horror franchise. The upcoming "Scream 7" was officially announced earlier this year, with Christopher Landon serving as the director.
The 2022 revival of "Scream" marked the return of original stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette, alongside newcomers Mason Gooding Jr. and Jasmine Savoy Brown. However, for "Scream 7," Neve Campbell opted not to reprise her role due to a disagreement over compensation. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet expressed optimism about Campbell returning to the series in the future. In the film, Ortega and Barrera's characters experienced a positive resolution, successfully overcoming the Ghostface killer once more and repairing their relationship.
While there is currently no information available about the schedule for "Scream 7," one thing is evident for Ortega following the success of "Wednesday" and her burgeoning stardom: she has a world of opportunities for future roles.
Ortega earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Comedy Series Actress and a Golden Globe nomination for Comedy TV Actress for her portrayal of the title character in "Wednesday."
The Scream franchise, with its seventh installment, is poised to surpass the $1 billion global mark at the box office. As of the sixth film, the franchise has already reached $911 million.
James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, who penned the scripts for the last two "Scream" films, are set to craft a new draft for the upcoming installment. While certain elements like set pieces and twists might be retained, the narrative will necessitate the introduction of new protagonists. Ortega and Barrera committed to two "Scream" movies and successfully fulfilled those obligations with the fifth and sixth installments, as per another source. It's highlighted that additional agreements would have been required for their involvement in the seventh chapter.
The question arises: who will confront the masked killer this time? The "Scream" movies boast a roster of characters who are either still alive or could be brought back to life (it’s a horror movie, after all, and the joy of “Scream” is that it does not bury its dead too deep).