Jenna Ortega discusses her departure from Scream 7: "It wasn't related to payment or scheduling issues."

      Jenna Ortega has only starred in two of the forthcoming seven Scream movies, yet she has significantly influenced longtime fans of the series. This is why the repercussions of her unexpected departure from Scream 7 continue to resonate today.

      The reasons for her exit have been peculiar, often attributed to scheduling conflicts, but fans quickly pointed out inconsistencies in this explanation. As an actress aiming to maintain a good reputation within the industry, Jenna Ortega seldom commented on the matter aside from expressing support for those still involved and those let go.

      In an interview with The Cut to promote her film Death of a Unicorn [read our review here], Ortega finally discussed the situation, providing an answer that many anticipated. She stated, “It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling. The Melissa situation was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart. 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 that time.”

      The “Melissa situation” refers to Melissa Barrera's firing from Scream 7, which resulted from her social media posts supporting Palestine and condemning Israel for “genocide and ethnic cleansing.” Following her dismissal from the leading role, Spyglass Media Group issued a statement: “Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion, or anything that blatantly crosses the line into hate speech.”

      Scream 7 faced challenges thereafter, with both lead actresses departing the project and the directing team Radio Silence also leaving. This prompted discussions with other filmmakers before ultimately bringing in longtime franchise writer Kevin Williamson as a director. This will mark Williamson’s second directing role, following 1999’s Teaching Mrs. Tingle. The production also reunites several recognizable Scream characters, including Neve Campbell and Matthew Lillard, who has long been rumored to return to the franchise after his apparent death in the first film.

      As for Ortega, she has a packed schedule for 2025. She is currently promoting Death of a Unicorn and is set to star in Hurry Up Tomorrow, alongside The Weeknd. Later this year, she will also reprise her role in Netflix’s Wednesday, which is expected to be another major success for the streaming service.

      Scream 7 is scheduled to be released by Paramount Pictures on February 27, 2026.