Why Scream 7 Fired Melissa Barrera Explained

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Melissa Barrera‘s exit from Scream 7 was a significant change for the horror series. After starring as Sam Carpenter in the successful Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), many assumed she would return for the next film. However, she was removed from the project, which caused a strong negative reaction from fans.

Melissa Barrera was set to be a lead character, a ‘final girl,’ in the latest Scream movies, alongside Jenna Ortega, who played her sister. However, neither actress will be in Scream 7. Barrera was the first to leave, with news confirmed in November 2023, and shortly after, reports surfaced that Ortega wouldn’t be returning either.

Melissa Barrera’s Scream 7 Firing Explained

Melissa Barrera was removed from the cast of Scream 7 because of posts she made on social media about the conflict between Israel and Gaza. In November 2023, she shared a statement on Instagram Stories that read:

Gaza is facing conditions resembling a concentration camp, with residents trapped, lacking basic necessities like electricity and water. History seems to be repeating itself, and once again, the world is largely standing by as these events unfold. These actions are tantamount to genocide and ethnic cleansing.

I recently came across a statement that really struck me. She pointed out that Western media seems to consistently present only the Israeli perspective, and then cleverly left it to the audience to figure out why that might be. It’s a pointed question, and one that definitely makes you think about media bias and whose stories are being told – and not told.

It didn’t take long after those posts started going around online for Melissa Barrera to be fired from the movie. Spyglass, the studio making the Scream films, put out a statement explaining they have absolutely no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind. They specifically mentioned that things like falsely referencing genocide, ethnic cleansing, or distorting the Holocaust are completely unacceptable and cross the line.

The studio said its decision was in line with its rules against hate speech and antisemitism. Barrera then stated she strongly opposes both antisemitism and Islamophobia, and that her previous comments were meant to support Palestinian civilians. Despite her explanation, the studio didn’t change its mind and continued with production without her.

How Melissa Barrera’s Scream 7 Firing Impacts The Franchise

Removing actor Jenna Ortega creates some loose ends in the story. Over the past two Scream movies, her character, Sam Carpenter, was built up as the daughter of the very first Ghostface killer, Billy Loomis. Her internal conflict – dealing with her father’s dark history, including seeing him in visions and worrying about becoming violent herself – was a central emotional element of the new films.

Additionally, Scream VI established Sam and Tara as the main characters of the series. The film moved their story to New York City, showing them trying to start over after the events in Woodsboro. The developing relationship between Sam and Danny, who was initially a suspect but later became an ally, was also left unresolved, setting up potential future storylines.

The inner struggles of Sam, particularly her violent tendencies and the attention she receives, were clearly intended to be explored over several movies. With Sam and Tara likely gone, those story lines will have to be either removed, reworked, or simply dropped in Scream 7. As a result, the series now seems to be focusing more on bringing back familiar actors from previous films.

The latest developments suggest the film is refocusing on the original group of survivors, especially Neve Campbell’s character, Sidney Prescott. Separately, the decision to remove Barrera led to calls for a boycott of Scream 7 from some fans and supporters of the actress who advocate for Palestinian rights.

As a big horror fan, I’ve been following the news about Scream 7, and honestly, it’s been a rollercoaster. While there was a lot of talk about the impact of losing Melissa Barrera, early box office predictions actually suggest the film is still going to be huge – potentially the second-biggest opening weekend in the entire Scream series! It seems the return of some of the original cast is really drawing people in (according to Deadline). Still, there’s no denying that losing Barrera has fundamentally changed the movie, both creatively and in terms of how it’s expected to perform – it feels like a real turning point for the franchise.

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2026-02-26 16:31