“It Says A Lot”: Melissa Barrera Emotionally Reflects On Scream Cast’s Support After Scream 7 Firing

Melissa Barrera continues to enjoy the support of her former Scream co-stars, even after her controversial firing from Scream 7. Having led the last two installments of the long-running horror franchise as Sam Carpenter, the illegitimate daughter of the original Ghostface killer Billy Loomis, Barerra’s character was originally intended to return for Scream 7. However, in November 2023, those plans fell apart when Spyglass took action on the actor’s social media posts concerning the Israeli-Hamas conflict. Shortly thereafter, Jenna Ortega and director Christopher Landon would announce their respective departures, further throwing plans for the forthcoming sequel into disarray.

Despite Spyglass distancing themselves from the actor, several of Barrera’s Scream co-stars, including Mason Gooding, David Arquette, and Skeet Ulrich attended the LA premiere of her new horror movie, Abigail. Speaking to Variety, Barerra reflected on the ongoing support and camaraderie she continues to feel with her former co-stars. Check out her comments below:

Even after the project is over, we still have our chat. They were all invited here and a lot of them from Scream came and I think it says a lot. It says a lot about how true the love is. No one can ever take that away from us.

Will Scream 7 Be Able To Overcome Its Highly Publicized Setbacks?

Neve Campbell Is Returning After Missing Out On Scream 6.

While it seems clear that Barrera has been able to continue her career despite the setbacks surrounding her departure from Scream 7, there are several questions about whether the Scream franchise will also be able to recover. Originally introducing Barrera’s character as the leader of a new generation of protagonists, the success of 2023’s Scream VI had definitively proven that the franchise could continue without the involvement of former franchise lead, Neve Campbell.

However, in the wake of Barrera’s firing and the subsequent departure of her onscreen sister Ortega, Spyglass’ new plans will seemingly center around the return of Sidney Prescott and her family after Campbell’s return for Scream 7 was confirmed. Meanwhile, Courteney Cox, the only Scream cast member to appear in all six movies, is also in discussions to reprise her role as the journalist turned true-crime writer Gale Weathers. While these decisions may help Scream 7 draw in long-term viewers, the question remains whether an appeal to nostalgia can overcome the highly publicized nature of the project’s behind-the-scenes dramas.

Moreover, while bringing Sidney and Gale back for another Scream movie may provide a short-term solution to Scream 7’s plot, it still does not provide a sustainable option for the franchise’s long-term future. Eventually, the Scream movies will need to leave Campbell’s iconic final girl behind, something they had already successfully achieved with the Carpenter sisters before Barrera’s departure. Whether they can manage to do it again remains to be seen.

Source: Variety