OriginalScream 7director Christopher Landon candidly explains why he departed the movie not long after Melissa Barrera was fired. Though the upcoming installment in the long-runningScreamfranchise is now on track for release next year, with franchise veteran Kevin Williamson directing and Neve Campbell starring, the film experienced some major setbacks.
In late 2023, it was reported thatBarrera, who played new protagonist Sam Carpenter, was fired due to her social media posts about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Not long after, costar Jenna Ortega also left theScream 7cast, followed by Landon, who had been confirmed as director that August.
More details about Landon’s decision to leaveScream 7have now emerged inYour Favorite Scary Movieby Ashley Cullins. In the book, Landon reveals thatBarrera’s firing was directly responsible for his decision to quit, as he had built the entire story around her character. Check out his comment below:
“I made my decision to walk away about a week after they fired her. There was no movie anymore.The whole script was about her. I didn’t sign on to make ‘a Scream movie.’ I signed on to make that movie. When that movie no longer existed, I moved on.”
What This Means For Scream 7
Sam and Tara Carpenter were first introduced as central characters in 2022’sScream, a legacy sequel that united new characters with franchise veterans like Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), and Dewey Riley (David Arquette). 2023’sScream 6further put Sam and Tara in the spotlight, building upon Sam’s dark connection to Billy Loomis, her father.
Now, though, Sam and Tara’s story will go unfinished, at least in this nextScreammovie.The most audiences can hope for regarding a resolution to Sam and Tara’s story is a few lines of dialogueabout what happened to them and why they are no longer in the picture.
Given what happened with Campbell and her very public decision not to return forScream 6over a pay dispute,it’s always possible that Barrera and Ortega could eventually make a comeback. The next movie, though, will put Sidney back in center stage, with Gale and Dewey also confirmed to return, despite the latter’s death.
Following theScream 6ending, the next movie is seemingly pulling out all the stops when it comes to cast. In addition to the original three stars, the film will feature the return of Jasmin Savoy-Brown as Mindy and Mason Gooding as Chad.Matthew Lillard will also be reprising his role as Stu Macherfrom the first film.
Our Take On Christopher Landon’s Scream 7 Exit
Landon directed films likeHappy Death Day(2017),Freaky(2020), andDrop(2025), all of which provedhe has a unique voice in the horror/ thriller genre, particularly when it comes to mixing scares with humor. This made him an excellent choice forScream 7, and it’s a shame that he ended up leaving the project.
That being said,Williamson could be a strong replacementgiven that he wrote the first twoScreammovies and the 2011 fourth installment. Combined with the stellar cast,Scream 7is shaping up to be an exciting new installment in the Ghostface saga.
