What happens when a film loses the support of the entire internet, arguably its biggest leads, and three of its directors? Generally, it's canceled almost immediately. Such is the situation that Scream 7 finds itself in after a nightmarish past couple of months.
Director Christopher Landon announced his departure from the film on social media, describing the ordeal has turned into a "dream job that turned into a nightmare." This news follows the controversial firing of the reboot's lead actress, Melissa Barrera, over her social media posts on the conflict in Gaza and the departure of Jenna Ortega due to scheduling conflicts.
Landon, known for directing Happy Death Day and Freaky, took over the directorial duties for Scream 7 from the duo known as Radio Silence, consisting of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who directed the pair of reboots, Scream 5 and Scream 6. Landon's decision to leave the project is a significant blow to the film, which is now left without a pair of lead actors and a director. In his statement, Landon expressed his hope for Wes Craven's legacy to thrive despite the challenges faced by Scream 7. But, if we're being honest, this is highly unlikely.
Barrera's firing sparked a significant backlash, with over 1,300 actors and artists signing a letter condemning what they call censorship against speaking out on Palestine. In response to the firing, Landon expressed his frustration in a now-deleted post on social media, stating, "everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make." Barrera later condemned anti-semitism and Islamophobia in a statement, emphasizing her commitment to using her platform to raise awareness about issues she cares about.