Why Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega are not in Scream 7

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The latest installment, Scream 7, is now playing in theaters and features the return of Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, who didn’t appear in Scream VI. However, two key stars, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, did not return to play their characters, Sam and Tara Carpenter.

If you haven’t been following news about the new movie, you might be wondering where the two characters are – and we’re here to explain.

The latest installment, Scream VI, faced challenges when Neve Campbell, who played Sidney Prescott, didn’t return due to a disagreement over salary. Many fans wondered if the movie would feel like Scream without her, but it still proved to be very successful, earning $169.1 million around the world. The directors, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, have said they’d like to make a seventh film and hope to include Sidney Prescott in it.

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Things didn’t end up exactly as planned – they shifted their focus back to Abigail, but thankfully, they’re still involved as executive producers! I was so excited to hear Scream 7 was officially happening in August 2023, and even better, Christopher Landon, who did Happy Death Day, is directing! It feels like a really fresh take.

Things went south fast. On November 21st, 2023, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Jenna Ortega’s co-star, Tony Revolori, had been dropped from the movie because of some things he said online. He posted about what was happening in Gaza, calling it “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing,” and it caused a huge fallout.

A Spyglass representative made it clear that the company has absolutely no tolerance for antisemitism or any kind of hateful speech. This includes false claims about genocide, ethnic cleansing, distorting the history of the Holocaust, or anything that clearly promotes hatred.

Barrera issued a statement two days later, saying she strongly condemns antisemitism and Islamophobia, as well as all forms of hate and prejudice. As a proud Mexican-American woman, she feels a responsibility to use her platform to speak out about important issues and support those who need a voice.

Everyone, no matter their background or beliefs, deserves to be treated with respect, have their rights protected, and be free. I believe we shouldn’t judge an entire group of people based on the actions of their leaders, and that all those in power should be open to scrutiny.

Jenna Ortega’s departure was announced shortly after Barrera’s firing. Initially, it was explained as a conflict with her filming schedule for the Netflix series Wednesday. However, The Hollywood Reporter stated that discussions about her leaving actually happened before the actors’ strike that took place from July to November 2023.

In April 2025, Ortega stated the reports about her salary and schedule for the seventh movie were untrue. She clarified that her decision wasn’t related to money or filming commitments, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

She explained that the issues with Melissa Barrera were creating a lot of problems. She continued, saying that if the next Scream movie wasn’t going to be made with the directors and cast she had grown to love, it didn’t feel like the right career choice for her at that moment.

Melissa Barrera’s departure wasn’t the only setback for Scream 7 before filming began. In December 2023, director Christopher Landon also announced he was leaving the project, saying it had gone from being a dream job to a nightmare and that he felt heartbroken for everyone involved, but it was time to move forward.

In an April 2025 interview, Landon shared that he received threats against his family following the firing of Barrera, despite having no involvement in the decision. He explained, “Many people assumed I was responsible, but that wasn’t the case. I had absolutely no control over the situation.” He believes fans mistakenly blamed him because they don’t fully understand how the Hollywood system and its leadership structure work, leading to harsh attacks directed at him.

When Landon left, it gave series creator Kevin Williamson the opportunity to direct a Scream movie for the first time. He also co-wrote the script with Guy Busick, who had previously co-written the last two films in the series.

Scream 7 is out now in cinemas.

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2026-02-26 21:20