After starring in 2022's Scream relaunch and its sequel, Melissa Barrera was fired from her co-lead role as Sam Carpenter after she showed support for Palestine on her social media accounts.
Spyglass Entertainment released a statement shortly after the news broke explaining why they decided to drop her from the film, citing "rhetoric that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech."
Barrera gave a brief response condemning “hate and prejudice of any kind” and promising to “lend my voice to those in need.”
Neve Campbell reprised her role as Sidney Prescott for the recent Scream 7 after sitting out the previous installment due to a pay dispute, and the movie also featured the return of Matthew Lillard as one of the original Ghostfaces, Stu Macher.
The Daredevil: Born Again actor appeared in only a few scenes as "Deepfake Stu," but now says he regrets agreeing to be part of the movie because of how Barerra was treated.
"When that happened to Melissa, the whole world didn't pipe up," Lillard said during a recent appearance at a 30th anniversary screening of Scream (via EW). "I went back to do Scream, and I got called out. And I'm like, 'Oh, [frick]. That’s brutal,' I feel bad about that. I feel ashamed about that. Because in that moment I was so excited to go back, I didn't really think about Melissa and that journey. I didn’t say no. I'm embarrassed; that's the truth. I blew that. I'm on the wrong side of history for that. I still like being in the movie [but] it may not have been the best idea."
It's probably safe to assume that we won't be seeing Macher (or his deepfake) in the next movie.
Following the record-breaking box office success of Scream 7, it was only a matter of time before we got word on the next instalment of the long-running slasher franchise, and we recently got confirmation that Scream 8 is officially moving forward with a new writing team attached.
Spyglass and Paramount Pictures have enlisted Lilla and Nora Zuckerman to pen the project.
The Zuckerman Sisters most recently served as showrunners for Peacock's Poker Face, and have also worked as writers and co-executive producers on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Suits, Fringe, and Prodigal Son.
Despite a mixed reception from critics, Scream 7 went on to become the highest-grossing film in the franchise, earning more than $200 million worldwide.
When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has built a new life, her darkest fears are realised as her daughter (Isabel May) becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.