The Scream movie franchise found itself in an interesting position following the release of Scream VI. Although fans were eager to see Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega return for a seventh installment, a wrench was thrown into those plans when Barrera was fired for making political comments on social media. Soon after, Jenna Ortega left Scream 7, leaving the film open for its current iteration that will star Neve Campbell and be directed by Kevin Williamson.
At the time of her departure, however, it was unclear why exactly Jenna Ortega stepped away from Scream 7. While many fans believed it was due to Melissa Barrera being fired, other reports claimed she left due to scheduling conflicts or pay disputes. Now Jenna Ortega is setting the record straight as revealed in a new interview.
Here’s what she shared with The Cut:
“It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling,” Ortega said. “The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart.”
Ortega continued to explain that Scream (2022) and Scream VI directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin leaving the project was another reason:
“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,” she added.
Of course, Ortega doesn’t really need the Scream franchise at this point in her career. She recently starred in the long-awaited sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and she’s been busy with Wednesday Season 2. In addition to original projects including A24’s Death of a Unicorn, Ortega is having no issue finding work.
As for Scream 7, the decision to move away from Barrera and Ortega has led to some interesting changes, including a number of franchise stars returning alongside Campbell. Fans will not only see Courteney Cox return as Gale Weathers, but other familiar faces like Matthew Lillard, Scott Foley, and David Arquette are all mysteriously appearing.
Ultimately, it looks like it will be an interesting time for Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, and the Scream franchise in the coming years. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates as we have them.