Scream 7: Melissa Barrera Addresses If She'll Return to Franchise

By Klein Felt Posted:
Scream 7 Melissa Barrera

Scream 6 actress Melissa Barrera addressed if she would return in Scream 7

Wes Craven's meta-commentary on the horror genre is back in the limelight, after a successful revitalization/semi-reboot that came in 2022's Scream (aka Scream 5). 

This new set of films has brought the focus on a new young cast, headed up by rising mega-star Jenna Ortega, while also honoring some stars from the franchise's storied past. 

While another entry in the Scream franchise has yet to be officially announced, given the financial success of this new era of the series, a seventh film feels inevitable. 

Melissa Barrera on Her Scream Future

Melissa Barrera Scream poster
Paramount

In the latest issues of Total Film, Scream and Scream 6 star Melissa Barrera revealed if she would be game to appear in a potential seventh movie in the storied franchise. 

Barrera, who plays Sam Carpenter in the recent Scream films, said that if/when a Scream 7 were to happen, she would "not [be] opposed to" returning:

“I think the beauty of the 'Scream' universe is that anything can happen, and anyone can come back. I’m not opposed to it!”

The Scream actress has previously addressed the potential future of Sam Carpenter, telling Digital Spy in an interview that "there are so many places that Sam could go:"

"There are so many places that Sam could go. That’s one of the reasons that, when I read the script for 'Scream 5,' I was so interested in the character. There’s so much potential here of where she could go with her mental health - she’s just unpredictable. I find that that darkness in her makes her that much more interesting to play and to watch."

She added that she trusts the Scream writers and knows they will " know where to take her [in a way] that will be unexpected and cool for the fans:"

"She’s the hero but she’s also kind of the villain. It’s this contradiction in her that I find fascinating and, if we get to do another one, I would love to see. The writers have done a really good job with her up until this point, so I trust them just to know where to take her [in a way] that will be unexpected and cool for the fans."

One direction the character could go, according to Barrera (via Comicbook.com), would be introducing her mother, who Barrera wants to see played by MCU alum Salma Hayek:

“I am dying to work with Salma Hayek. It would be a dream if she played my mother. It would be amazing.”

What's Next for the Scream Franchise?

While Scream 7 has not been officially announced by Paramount as of yet, it has to be coming. 

Given the resurgence the series has seen, and the rising stars its revamped cast features (ie Jenna Ortega and Samara Weaving), the studio would be smart to get a seventh film - again following the Carpenter sister - off the ground as quickly as it can.

With Scream 6, the series took a big swing, moving from the fictional small town of Woodsboro, California to the big apple, New York City, making the biggest and scariest Scream adventure to date. 

This has some wondering where the franchise could go next without getting to ridiculous. 

Well, with the Carpenter sisters in college now, maybe a Carpenter summer vacation could be the center of the next film, with the two sisters potentially heading for Europe or Asia to decompress from everything they have been through in the last few years. 

This would again provide a new and exciting locale for the signature Scream action to take place, and could even lean further into the meta-commentary on the genre angle of it all, poking fun at the idea of these sisters not being able to escape the Ghostface mask no matter where they are on the globe. 

Scream 7 has no official release date, although Scream 1 - 6 can be streamed no on Paramount+. 

- About The Author: Klein Felt
Klein Felt is a Senior Editor at The Direct. Joining the website back in 2020, he helped jumpstart video game content on The Direct. Klein plays a vital role as a part of the site's content team, demonstrating expertise in all things PlayStation, Marvel, and the greater entertainment industry.