The Real Reason Jenna Ortega Left The Scream Franchise

One of the most encouraging post-Covid developments for beleaguered movie exhibitors arrived in April 2022. The "Scream" franchise, having lain dormant for more than a decade, suddenly roared back to life with the fifth film in the property's history, simply titled "Scream." Horror fans flocked to theaters in massive numbers to provide a bit of juice to the flagging U.S. box office; the sequel grossed $33 million over its four-day opening weekend before going on to take in $137.7 million worldwide. The movies weren't back exactly (they're still really aren't), but this was a reminder for studios and exhibitors that, at the very least, the horror genre is as (potentially) bankable as ever.

One reason for the massive success of "Scream" (2022) and its 2023 sequel, "Scream VI," was the slasher franchise's deft ability to integrate a new array of colorful characters into this pre-existing world populated by old favorites like Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and David Arquette. Particularly effective was the duo of Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega as sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter, the latest youngsters to find themselves getting hunted by Ghostface. After surviving the sixth film, fans were stoked to see the Carpenter siblings get hunted anew (or, who knows, maybe even become the hunter) in the seventh installment.

And then everything fell apart.

Barrera was abruptly fired from the project in November 2023 when she posted what were perceived as controversial remarks about the Israel-Hamas War. This followed the departure of directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (who were making way for the talented "Happy Death Day" helmer Christopher Landon), which left some fans feeling like the property had just shot itself in the foot. Then, the day after Barerra was canned, the news broke that Ortega had quit. Was this done in solidarity with her co-star? Or was there something else to it? With her new film "Death of a Unicorn" currently in theaters, Ortega is finally opening up about her decision.

At the time, it was reported Ortega had exited "Scream VII" months before Barrera was fired. However, in a more recent interview with The Cut, Ortega said that opting out of the seventh "Scream" film was strictly a matter of vibes — and those vibes were dreadfully bad by the time she officially bolted. As she told The Cut:

"It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling. The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart. If 'Scream VII' wasn't going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn't seem like the right move for me in my career at the time."

The sudden, wholly unplanned kiboshing of the Carpenters' narrative arc sent fans into a tizzy. Christopher Landon began catching strays on social media, so it didn't come as much of a surprise when he exited the director's chair in December 2023. Ultimately, series creator Kevin Williamson announced that he will take the helm on "Scream VII," making it his first theatrical feature as a director since 1999's "Teaching Mrs. Tingle." The only bit of good news for fans of the franchise is that "Scream" (2022) and "Scream VI" scribe Guy Busick stayed on to write the sequel (from a story he developed with James Vanderbilt).

"Scream VII" is currently slated to reach theaters on February 27, 2026, with Campbell returning to the property after passing on "Scream VI" over a pay dispute. Will her involvement be enough to salvage this badly damaged property? We'll have to wait and see, but it certainly wasn't ideal to chase off the two young actors who brought a new generation to "Scream."