Christopher Landon Exits Scream VII Amid Cast Controversy and Production Woes

In yet another blow to the latest entry into the Scream film franchise, director Christopher Landon took to X today to state that he's quit Scream VII.  After Melissa Barrera's firing back in November and the confirmation that Jenna Ortega would not be returning because of a scheduling conflict, this latest development does not bode well for the Wes Craven series.  Landon straightforwardly wrote, "It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare." 

Barrera, who was cast along with Ortega as sisters in the previous two films in the franchise, had been fired due to social media posts in the wake of the Israeli-Hamas war that were deemed anti-semitic by some. Back in November, she posted on social media that "Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp. Cornering everyone together, with nowhere to go, no electricity no water … People have learned nothing from our histories. And just like our histories, people are still silently watching it happen. THIS IS GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING."

With Landon's exit announcement, Barrera followed up with a new post on Christmas Eve, stating, "I hope this Christmas feels… weird," Barrera shared on her Instagram Stories. "I hope you can't ignore the fact that you're celebrating the birth of a child who was persecuted and targeted and his parents forced to flee to Egypt while right now millions of Palestinians from the exact part of the world are being persecuted and targeted and forced to flee their homes while they are indiscriminately and relentlessly bombed."

Representatives from Paramount Pictures have yet to comment on Landon's post.

The new "Scream" installment was slated to hit theaters in 2025 after being delayed by the actors' strike.

Christopher Landon's  full statement can be read here:

I guess now is as good a time as any to announce I formally exited Scream 7 weeks ago. This will disappoint some and delight others. It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But it's time to move on. I have nothing more to add to the conversation other than I hope Wes' legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world. What he and Kevin created is something amazing and I was honored to have even the briefest moment basking in their glow.