In a recent chat, Kevin Williamson, the director of Scream 7, discussed how the exit of actresses Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera affected the film’s development. Initially, both these talented ladies were connected to Scream 7; however, their involvement in the upcoming movie is no longer as planned. In the previous Scream movies released in 2022 (Scream) and 2023 (Scream VI), Ortega portrayed Tara Carpenter, while Barrera brought Samantha Carpenter/Sam to life.
Kevin Williamson says he didn’t want to direct Scream 7 after Jenna Ortega’s exit
Kevin Williamson discussed extensively how the departure of Ortega and Barrera impacted the storyline and main focus of Scream 7 during an interview with Screen Rant. In essence, he remarked that after losing Melissa and Jenna, it seemed unlikely the Carpenter sisters would appear in a third film, which was somewhat disappointing. Essentially, he wondered aloud about what would come next.
As a devoted admirer, I’m thrilled to share that, following Williamson’s plans, they decided not just to resurrect Neve Campbell’s iconic character, Sidney Prescott, but also to delve into the narrative of her life today.
After crafting the script for the movie, Williamson and his team reached out to Campbell. She went through the script and listened to our pitch before agreeing to be part of the project. As the writer behind the screenplays for the first, second, and fourth Scream films, I was later persuaded by Campbell to take on directing duties for Scream 7. One day, she called me up and said, ‘I think you should direct this.’ Initially, I hesitated, but her conviction eventually won me over. So, here I am, gearing up to direct the seventh installment of Scream.
Significantly, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it appears that Barrera was dismissed from Scream 7 over her comments on social media concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict. Concerning Ortega, there has been much debate and inconsistent reports; however, she has confirmed herself that she did not depart due to a wage disagreement or scheduling issue but because the project seemed to be disintegrating. She notably emphasized the situation with Barrera and the exit of directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who were formerly in charge of Scream VI (as reported by The Cut).
Scream 7 premieres in US theaters on February 27, 2026.
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2025-06-13 14:40