Actress Jenna Ortega says she won't return for 'Scream VII'

Nov. 22, 2023 12:50 PM PT

Jenna Ortega will not return for the horror sequel “Scream VII”.

The news comes a day after Spyglass fired fellow actress Melissa Barrera from her lead role following a series of social media posts Barrera made regarding the Israel-Hamas war.

Deadline reported that Ortega’s departure is not related to Barrera’s firing or a dispute over her agreement with Spyglass over Ortega’s “Scream” contract. The media outlet also reported that Ortega’s departure was discussed with Spyglass before the actors’ strike took place.

The horror movie franchise has now lost two of its main leads, which leaves fans wondering about the future of the series.

The L.A. Times confirmed that Spyglass dropped Barrera from the film after the movie production company believed that her social media posts crossed a line into antisemitism, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly.

“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 flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech,” a Spyglass spokesperson said in an interview with Variety magazine.

“Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp,” Barrera wrote in one post on Instagram stories that was cited by the Hollywood Reporter, which originally reported Barrera’s exit from “Scream VII.” “Cornering everyone together, with no where to go, no electricity no water … People have learnt nothing from our histories. And just like our histories, people are still silently watching it all happen. THIS IS GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING.”

Barrera and Ortega played sisters in the 2022’s “Scream.” According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 2022 movie release grossed $137.7 million globally.