Jenna Ortega Reveals the Real Reasons Behind Her Departure from the ‘Scream’ Franchise
Jenna Ortega is speaking out about her departure from the Scream franchise, following the firing of her co-star Melissa Barrera.
In a recent cover story for The Cut, the star of Death of a Unicorn reflected on her exit from the rebooted Scream series, where she and Barrera played the Carpenter sisters. After Spyglass Media Group announced in November 2023 that Barrera had been let go from the upcoming seventh installment due to comments she made regarding the Israel-Hamas war on Instagram, it was revealed shortly thereafter that Ortega would also not be returning. Speculation arose that her departure was linked to Barrera’s firing or salary disputes, but Ortega clarified her reasons for stepping away.
“It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling,” Ortega stated. “The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart.”
Additionally, Ortega noted that the directors of Scream VI, Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, had also exited the project, which influenced her decision.
“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 explained.
When discussing their exits back then, Barrera had expressed her support for Ortega, stating, “She’s been very supportive of me, and we’re sisters for life.”
Since her departure, Ortega has taken on various roles, including in last year’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and returning for the second season of her Netflix hit Wednesday.
“I’ve happened to join a lot of franchises, which is so great to be a part of legacy,” Ortega shared with The Cut. “But for me, I’m really trying to prioritize new directors and original stories. I know on the outside, maybe people are looking at my choices like, Man, what the hell is this girl doing? I never thought I would do a movie with unicorns. But an original script is exciting. If I can help get it made, I love to do that.”
For the second season of Wednesday, Ortega will also serve as an executive producer: “I feel a bit more empowered to speak my mind.”
Original Scream star Neve Campbell, who previously opted out of the last installment due to a salary dispute, is set to return for Scream 7, which will center around her character, Sidney Prescott, and her daughter. Joel McHale will play her spouse, Mark Evans. Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown, who were part of the core four alongside Ortega and Barrera, will also reprise their roles.
Kevin Williamson, the franchise creator who wrote the script for the original and subsequent installments, is directing the new film. Guy Busick, who penned the scripts for 2022’s Scream and Scream VI, is also involved.
Paramount has scheduled the release of Scream 7 in theaters for February 27, 2026.
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