The Scream franchise is facing a sudden and dramatic upheaval.
Shortly after firing star Melissa Barrera from Scream VII, Spyglass revealed that Jenna Ortega will also not be returning for the latest installment of the horror movie series.
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Losing the two main leads who were pivotal in revitalizing the aging franchise has cast a cloud of uncertainty over its future. With Christopher Landon remaining on board as director — for now — the next steps for Spyglass remain unclear.
Sources have indicated that Ortega’s departure is unrelated to Barrera’s firing, with her representatives informing Spyglass ahead of time that she would not be returning. Rumors of a dispute over her compensation have swirled, further complicating matters for the studio. Spyglass had previously declined to bring back original franchise star Neve Campbell after a salary dispute for Scream VI.
Barrera and Ortega have played sisters in the franchise since 2022’s Scream. In the short time since that film was released, Ortega became a sizable star thanks to her work on Netflix’s hit Wednesday, making her exit from the Scream franchise all the more surprising.
Despite the setbacks, the franchise had experienced a revival, with younger stars including Barrera and Ortega teaming up with legacy actors Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette to deliver two successful installments that grossed over $300 million globally.
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