It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling : Jenna Ortega on 'Scream 7' exit

ANI April 8, 2025 152 views

Jenna Ortega has opened up about her unexpected exit from the Scream franchise, clarifying that her departure was not about pay or scheduling. Her decision was deeply connected to the controversial dismissal of her co-star Melissa Barrera and the changing creative team behind the film. The Scream 7 production has undergone significant shifts, with original director Christopher Landon leaving and franchise creator Kevin Williamson stepping in to direct. Despite the turbulence, the film will continue with the return of iconic star Neve Campbell, marking a potential reset for the horror franchise.

"If 'Scream VII' 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" - Jenna Ortega
Washington, April 7: Actress Jenna Ortega shared that her exit from the 'Scream' franchise was not due to a scheduling conflict as originally reported.

Key Points

1

Ortega denies scheduling conflict as reason for leaving

2

Departure linked to Melissa Barrera's controversial dismissal

3

Original directors and team no longer involved in project

4

Franchise moves forward with original screenwriter Kevin Williamson

Ortega, who played Tara Carpenter in 2022's 'Scream' and 2023's 'Scream VI', exited the seventh movie in November 2023. She said at the time it was due to her "shooting schedule," reported Variety.

"It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling," Ortega revealed. "The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart. If 'Scream VII' 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."

The "Melissa stuff" refers to Ortega's "Scream" co-star Melissa Barrera, who was sacked from "Scream 7" after making social media statements against Israel and Palestine. The news of Ortega's departure came one day after Barrera's termination, prompting conjecture that Ortega was leaving the club to support Barrera.

Barrera was dismissed from "Scream 7" for her social media tweets supporting Palestine and criticising Israel for "genocide and ethnic cleansing," reported Variety.

Franchise producer Spyglass Media Group said in a statement, "Spyglass' stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech," as per te outlet.

After Barrera's firing, 'Scream 7' director Christopher Landon posted and deleted a statement on X that read, "Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make." About a month later, Landon exited the film and wrote on social media: "It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But it's time to move on," reported Variety.

'Scream' moved on with Kevin Williamson, the franchise's original screenwriter, stepping in to direct the seventh installment, which will feature the return of franchise icon Neve Campbell.

Reader Comments

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Sarah K.
Respect to Jenna for standing by her principles. It takes guts to walk away from a big franchise when the creative team changes. 👏
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Mike T.
The whole situation is messy. I get why Spyglass had to take a stand, but firing Barrera seemed rushed. Now we're losing Ortega too? The franchise won't be the same.
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Amira L.
Interesting that she's clarifying this now. Makes me wonder if there was more behind-the-scenes drama than we know. Either way, excited to see Neve Campbell return!
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David P.
While I admire Jenna's loyalty, I think she's making a mistake. Scream VII could have been great for her career regardless of who was directing. Sometimes you have to separate work from personal feelings.
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Taylor R.
Christopher Landon's "dream job turned into a nightmare" comment says it all. This whole situation is so sad for everyone involved. Hope they can rebuild the franchise with Kevin Williamson.
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Jamal W.
Can we just appreciate how classy Jenna's been through all this? No drama, no throwing shade - just honest about her reasons. That's rare in Hollywood these days.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
Jenna Ortega Scream 7 Hollywood Drama Movie Franchise Melissa Barrera Christopher Landon
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