Jenna Ortega Reveals Shocking Truth Behind Her Exit from the ‘Scream’ Franchise!

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After receiving positive feedback and amassing $160 million globally, “Scream VI” demonstrated that the revival of the franchise initiated by 2022’s “Scream” was no accident. All elements were in place for continued terror with “Scream 7”, but production hit a roadblock when Melissa Barrera, the lead actress from the previous two films, was dismissed from the series due to pro-Palestine posts that were seen as antisemitic by Spyglass Media Group. Following her termination, co-star Jenna Ortega announced she wouldn’t be returning, with initial reports citing scheduling conflicts with Season 2 of “Wednesday”. However, these claims later evolved into speculation about a salary disagreement. Now that the chaos has passed, Ortega is disclosing the actual reason behind her decision to depart from Ghostface and the “Scream” series.

In an interview with The Cut, Neve Campbell clarified that her decision not to rejoin “Scream 7” wasn’t due to the reasons sensationalized by the media. She explained, “It wasn’t about pay or scheduling issues. The situation involving Melissa was escalating, and things were becoming chaotic.” When she chose to step away from the series, the original directors had already left the sequel and were subsequently replaced by Christopher Landon, who later stepped down as well. “Given that the team of directors and the people I cherished wouldn’t be part of ‘Scream 7’, it didn’t seem like the appropriate choice for my career at the time.

‘Scream 7’ Was Nearly Derailed by the Exits of Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega

In the last two films, Melissa Barrera played Sam and Jenna Ortega portrayed Tara Carpenter as main characters. It seemed like their roles were meant to lead the franchise to a conclusion for a new trilogy, acknowledging the original cast that contributed to the success of the Scream series. However, following Barrera’s dismissal due to controversial posts she shared on Instagram, fans showed support for the actress and expressed displeasure towards those in charge. Given the sensitive context of ongoing real-life events, it is possible that Spyglass felt compelled to let her go, but this didn’t ease fan concerns.

After Ortega announced her departure from the project, some fans interpreted this move as a show of solidarity with Barrera. Despite the fact that scheduling conflicts were cited as the reason for Ortega’s absence in Scream 7, fans suspected that these issues served as a cover for her real reasons for not returning. It was later revealed that pay became an issue due to Ortega’s significant rise in popularity since her role in the 2022 film, and she requested higher compensation to rejoin the cast. Many actors prioritize their principles when shaping their careers, and it seems that Ortega did the same when deciding not to participate in Scream 7.

After facing the departure of its original director and two main stars, “Scream 7” persevered. The director who worked on “Drop”, initially stepped away from the project after being tapped to replace Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett in what he described as a dream job that unfortunately turned into a nightmare. Now, “Scream” franchise creator Kevin Williamson is leading “Scream 7”, and the series’ main character, Neve Campbell, is coming back after choosing not to participate in “Scream VI” due to a real-life pay dispute with Spyglass. The upcoming movie will feature new faces as well as returning veterans, while two key members from the last two films, Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown, are set to return, signifying that those movies continue to be part of the franchise’s storyline.

Scream 7 hits screens on Feb. 27, 2026.

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2025-04-07 19:01