Scream proved why it’s considered one of the best horror franchises after Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett took over for the late Wes Craven and successfully rebooted the series with Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega as its new stars. Scream 7 is even in the works as what was supposed to be a third movie centered around the Carpenter sisters; however, the production hit a bit of a speed bump, losing both actresses in less than a week. Fans of the franchise were understandably rocked by the news, and their reactions continue to be as brutal as any of the Ghostface killers’ slaughters.
It was reported on November 21 that Melissa Barrera was out of the slasher franchise after playing Sam Carpenter in 2022’s Scream and this year’s Scream VI. Production company Spyglass Entertainment reportedly fired Barrera after she made social media comments that were seen as anti-semitic. Then, on November 22, Jenna Ortega — who played Sam’s little sister Tara Carpenter — dropped out of Scream 7, allegedly due to scheduling conflicts. That makes quite a mess of the movie, and even its new director Christopher Landon agreed that “Everything sucks.” Fans seemed to agree, as one posted to X:
Me watching my favourite franchise go up in flames in front of my eyes 😭 #Scream #SCREAM7 pic.twitter.com/4E8kUaGvvaNovember 22, 2023
In the aftermath of losing its two stars, reports started to circulate that the studio was looking to pivot by possibly bringing back two legacy characters — Neve Campbell as the franchise’s original final girl Sidney Prescott and Patrick Dempsey, who played detective Mark Kincaid in Scream 3. While Dempsey is one legacy character many have hoped to see in a sequel, some on social media thought it might be a long shot to see Sidney again, after Campbell left the Scream franchise over a pay dispute. One fan posted:
They are about to call Neve Campbell groveling, attempting to back up the money truck to convince her to come back and I truly hope she tells them to go fuck themselves before hanging up! #Scream7 pic.twitter.com/WIyviXLgrNNovember 22, 2023
Another posted a famous Mommie Dearest scene as what they imagined those negotiations with Neve Campbell might look like, after she opted not to return for Scream VI because, in her words: “I did not feel that what I was being offered equated to the value that I bring to this franchise.” The fan wrote:
Footage of Neve Campbell negotiating with the studios for #SCREAM7 pic.twitter.com/qN1tftWudmNovember 22, 2023
With no confirmation about how Scream 7 will move forward, many lovers of the franchise were afraid the film might lose even more of its cast. One joked:
At this point I'm genuinely expecting Ghostface to pull out of Scream 7 aswell. 🤣 #Scream7 pic.twitter.com/2n5oiIOhLGNovember 23, 2023
Another brutal post on X purported to show the cast of Scream 7 on set:
Leaked set photo of the full #Scream7 cast. pic.twitter.com/z2U6aN86VHNovember 26, 2023
Trolling aside, there are still plenty of big names attached to the franchise, including the other two members of the beloved Core Four — Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding. There’s also Courteney Cox and Hayden Panettiere as legacy characters Gale Weathers and Kirby Reed, respectively. But who will Billy Loomis’ ghost talk to, if not his daughter Sam? One X user joked:
Billy Loomis’ ghost in #Scream7: https://t.co/e0yQxLo2GN pic.twitter.com/tpO2MCWclONovember 22, 2023
There are a lot of questions about how Scream 7 will proceed without Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more information. In the meantime, check out what other upcoming horror movies are in the works, and start planning your next trip to the theater with our 2023 movie release schedule.
