Back in 2023, the news broke that Scream star Melissa Barrera would not be returning for the upcoming seventh instalment in the long-running slasher franchise after being fired from her role as Sam Carpenter for sharing what were deemed to be "anti-Semitic" comments on social media.
This followed the announcement that Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the duo known as Radio Silence, would not be back to helm the project after directing the previous two entries.
The studio received a lot of backlash for the Barrera situation, and there was speculation that some of her Scream cast-mates might show their support. Shortly after, we learned that Jenna Ortega, who plays Barrera's on-screen sister Tara, would not be reprising her role - although the trades claimed that her decision had nothing to do with Barrera's departure.
Ortega’s representatives reportedly informed Spyglass prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike that she would not be returning. Multiple sources said that the actress "either had no deal or, in the renegotiating of her option, asked what the movie company deemed was too much money."
Now, Ortega has broken her silence on her Scream 7 departure, and despite reports to the contrary, it sounds like she decided not to return after learning that Barrera and original directors Radio Silence would not be back.
“It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling,” Ortega tells The Cut. “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.”
“I’ve happened to join a lot of franchises, which is so great to be a part of legacy,” she added. “But for me, I’m really trying to prioritize new directors and original stories. I know on the outside, maybe people are looking at my choices like, ‘Man, what the hell is this girl doing?’ I never thought I would do a movie with unicorns. But an original script is exciting. If I can help get it made, I love to do that.”
There are rumors that Ortega has met with Marvel Studios about a potential role, but nothing has been confirmed.
Some of Barrera and Ortega's cast mates will return for Scream 7, and they'll be joined by Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott.
David Arquette is also set to return as former police officer Dewey Riley, along with one of the two OG Ghostfaces, Matthew Lillard's Stuart ‘Stu’ Macher, and Scott Foley as Scream 3's Ghostface Roman Bridger.
Are these characters somehow still alive, or will the Scream franchise finally introduce a supernatural element?
Possible spoilers ahead.
According to a recent rumor from Daniel Richtman, some of the previous movies' Ghostfaces (as well as some other characters, evidently) will return via AI/Deepfake technology, which will reportedly "play a significant role in the plot."
It seems part of the new Ghostface/Ghostfaces plan to torment Sidney will be to make her believe that the killers she defeated in earlier films have returned to exact their revenge.
Check out some recent photos and video at the links below.
Exactly how many masked maniacs will be targeting our heroes remains to be seen, but we now know that Sidney's daughters will be introduced, and we've heard that there will be a "big time jump" following the events of the last movie, presumably to allow for Sid's children to have grown to appropriate slasher movie age.
Previous reports have also claimed that this film will be at least partially set in a new town (ie, not Woodsboro), and is being developed as the first instalment in a new trilogy.
Director Kevin Williamson - who wrote Wes Craven's original slasher classic - recently announced that filming is officially underway, while sharing a first look at the new title logo.
"I’m not supposed to post about Scream and I hope @spyglassmediagr and @paramountpics will forgive me but when you have one of the best days of your life it’s really hard to keep it to yourself," Williamson captioned his post. "What an extraordinary day I had working with an amazing and talented cast and crew. They brought their “A” game and had my back every step of the way. I’m so very grateful for this opportunity and to Wes Craven who was on my mind through it all. The profound impact he has had on my life and career is endless. What a day! I can’t wait for tomorrow!"
Courteney Cox will also reprise her role as Gale Weathers, along with Mason Gooding as Chad Meeks-Martin and Jasmine Savoy Brown as his sister, Mindy. New cast members include Isabel May, Celeste O’Connor, Asa Germann, Mckenna Grace and Sam Rechner.
“Sidney Prescott is coming back!” Campbell posted on Instagram when her return was made official. “It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the Scream movies. My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. I’m very happy and proud to say I’ve been asked, in the most respectful way, to bring Sidney back to the screen and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”