She-Hulk Actress Tatiana Maslany’s Scream 7 Boycott Call Falls Flat as Film Eyes Record Opening

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Even though actress Tatiana Maslany, known for her role in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, asked fans to boycott the new Scream 7 movie, the film is performing well in theaters.

Maslany asked her followers to avoid seeing the movie because of the recent controversy surrounding Melissa Barrera’s removal from the cast, which stemmed from Barrera’s social media posts about Palestine. Despite this online criticism, initial ticket sales indicate that the movie is still attracting a significant audience.

According to Variety, the new Scream movie is expected to open with around $60 million in North America, and could earn even more depending on how well it does over the weekend. If these numbers are accurate, it would be the highest opening weekend in the 30-year history of the Scream series.

Boycott Calls Follow Barrera Controversy

Maslany spoke after Melissa Barrera was removed from the movie in 2023 due to her social media posts about the Israel-Hamas conflict, which caused considerable disruption to the film’s production.

Barrera was a key player in the recent success of the film series. When she left, her co-star Jenna Ortega and director Christopher Landon also left, forcing the filmmakers to revise the script and change their creative direction.

After the film’s release, online activists urged people to boycott it. However, early box office numbers suggest their efforts haven’t had a major impact on attendance.

Audience Interest Remains Strong

Early audience tracking helps explain the film’s resilience.

Per Screen Engine/Comscore PostTrak data reported by Variety:

  • 56% of moviegoers attended because they are fans of the franchise
  • 30% cited the cast as their primary draw
  • Overall definite recommend stands at 61%

Although the recommendation score is good for a horror movie, it’s lower than the 74% achieved by Scream VI, featuring Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera.

Still, the data suggests the absence of the duo has not materially hurt opening weekend demand.

Critics and Audiences Diverge

Critical reception to Scream 7 has been notably mixed.

  • Rotten Tomatoes critics score: 34%
  • Audience score: 78%

This difference in reaction highlights a growing pattern in franchise movies: critics and general audiences are often seeing things very differently. How long that audience excitement lasts will be a key sign of how well the movie ultimately does.

Legacy Cast Helps Anchor the Franchise

The return of original cast members Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox seems to be a positive sign, offering reassurance to fans who have followed the series for a long time.

Over half of those surveyed said they went to see Scream 7 because they’re fans of the series, proving that a well-known and loved franchise can still draw big crowds at the movies.

A Test Case for Modern Hollywood Influence

The initial box office numbers for Scream 7 give us a clear look at how much power Hollywood really has over audiences these days. In the past, studios believed they could influence viewers by responding to online criticism and negative reviews. But recent results, especially for established horror franchises with dedicated fans, show this influence is much weaker than previously thought.

While celebrities speaking out on issues still grabs attention online, it doesn’t always translate into changes at the box office. For example, the recent calls to boycott Scream 7 definitely sparked a lot of online discussion, but initial attendance numbers suggest most movie fans either ignored the controversy or remained loyal to the series. This difference between online buzz and actual consumer behavior seems to be growing larger.

The difference in opinion between critics and general audiences for this film highlights the ongoing discussion about how much influence professional critics actually have. While reviews still matter for marketing, today’s viewers are more likely to form their own opinions based on social media, user ratings, and their existing knowledge of a franchise. The fact that this horror sequel did well despite negative reviews suggests that critics’ traditional role as the primary arbiters of quality is changing, though not necessarily vanishing.

If things continue as they are, Scream 7 might not be known for the drama around its production. Instead, it could be seen as a sign of how Hollywood is changing – where a well-known brand and dedicated fans matter more than what people say online or what critics think.

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2026-02-28 20:57