The seventh installment in the 'Scream' franchise was originally due for release in 2025 - but now plans for the film have been thrown into disarray.
In recent days, actress Melissa Barrera - who featured in the fifth and sixth films - has been unceremoniously fired from the film for posts that she made on social media in support of Palestine regarding the Israel-Hamas war. Some regarded her posts as anti-semitic (although she has since denied that charge, releasing a statement saying 'I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people').
Now, Jenna Ortega - who also appeared in the last two 'Scream' films as Barrera's sister - has also confirmed that she will not be returning for 'Scream 7', blaming scheduling conflicts due to the forthcoming second season of 'Wednesday', which will be filmed in Ireland.
Some unsubstantiated reports on social media have suggested that Ortega terminated her contract in solidarity with Barrera, especially considering Ortega's sharing of a link to the 'Save the Children' charity specifically to help children in Gaza and the West Bank.
However, a source told The Hollywood Reporter that Ortega was only contracted for two films, and would have needed a new contract to agree to shoot a third.
The film's director Christopher Landon posted (and then deleted) a message on X that read "Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make."
The recent changes means that writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick will need to work on a new draft, and the franchise will need to find two new protagonists.
Some have suggested the potential return of Neve Campbell, who did not feature in 'Scream VI' amid rumours of a falling-out with the film's production company Spyglass.
It remains to be seen whether it'll hit that target of a 2025 release, but watch this space.
