After Melissa Barrera was crossed off of Scream 7’s call sheet several months back, there has been speculation of a rehire.
Scream 7, the latest entry in Paramount's enduring slasher franchise will advance the story that began after the series was revitalized in 2022 with the sixth movie (which was simply titled Scream).
Is Melissa Barrera Really Returning for Scream 7?
Development of the new Scream sequel has not gone off without a hitch. Star Melissa Barrera was fired from the picture in November 2023 after posts she had made on social media in support of Palestine.
Barrera's co-star Jenna Ortega dropped out of the project a short time later from what was originally reported as a scheduling conflict but was later indicated by The Hollywood Reporter to be a salary dispute with the studio.
With these dramatic upsets in the production of Scream 7, rumors began to spring up around the topic of Spyglass Media, the film’s production company, wanting Barrera back.
The misinformation stemmed from a blind item scoop shared with Deuxmoi, which can be viewed, in full, below:
The language used in the scoop itself was deliberately vague, likely so as to protect the identities of involved parties.
However, it would seem that these rumors are not factual. Two well-known film industry scoopers, DanielRPK and ViewerAnon, refuted the speculation that Paramount and Spyglass were looking to hire back Melissa Barrera.
In response to the tweet that shared the info, DanielRPK simply tweeted "This isn’t true." ViewerAnon also reported the details as false (via CriticalOverlo3 on X (formerly Twitter).
What Do Barrera and Her Co-Stars Have To Say About Her Firing?
In the wake of Melissa Barrera’s dismissal, many fans were quick to launch a boycott of Scream 7 in support of the actress.
At the premiere of Abigail, another horror film that Barrera was a part of, she declined to make any specific remarks on the boycott, but was sure to note her general gratitude for her fans (via Variety):
"That’s a very multilayered, very complicated thing to respond to. But I’ve been very, very grateful for the support of the fans. That was something that was very unexpected and I love them for it."
Several Scream franchise stars, including Matthew Lillard, David Arquette, and Skeet Ulrich, also attended Abigail’s premiere. At the event, Barrera mentioned the fact that she still feels the love from her Scream family:
"Even after the project is over, we still have our chat. They were all invited here and a lot of them from 'cream' came and I think it says a lot. It says a lot about how true the love is. No one can ever take that away from us."
Additionally, Jenna Ortega commented to Vanity Fair on the circumstances surrounding Barrera being let go from Scream 7. In that interview, Ortega called for "a better sense of conversation" around the concept of being "politically correct"
"The business that we work in is so touchy-feely. Everybody wants to be politically correct, but I feel like, in doing that, we lose a lot of our humanity and integrity, because it lacks honesty. I wish that we had a better sense of conversation. Imagine if everyone could say what they felt and not be judged for it and, if anything, it sparked some sort of debate, not an argument."
Scream 7 is without an exact, officially announced release date, but the film is likely to debut in 2025 or 2026.
Read more about the latest in horror movies:
Longlegs Movie Plot Summary & Spoilers Explained
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3 Release, Cast & Everything We Know
Who Is Ariel Donoghue? 4 Things To Know About Trap Movie Actress - Wiki Bio Details
