Scream VII has lost yet another member of the filmmaking team with director Christopher Landon announcing his departure.
“I guess now is as good a time as any to announce I formally exited Scream 7 weeks ago,” Landon, 48, shared via X (formerly known as Twitter) on Saturday, December 23. “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.”
He continued, “But it’s time to move on. I have nothing more to add to the conversation other than I hope Wes [Anderson’s] legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world. What he and Kevin [Williamson] created is something amazing and I was honored to have even the briefest moment basking in their glow.”
Landon, known for his involvement with Happy Death Day and Freaky, was set to succeed Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, who directed Scream V and Scream VI.
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Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin revived the franchise nearly a decade after the fourth Scream was released, introducing new protagonists Sam and Tara Carpenter, played by Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, respectively. However, both actresses have exited the Scream franchise in recent weeks.
Ortega, 21, left due to filming conflicts with Netflix’s Wednesday season 2 and reshoots for Beetlejuice 2. Her scheduling issues were reported days after Barrera, 33, was fired from the franchise.
Barrera was let go after vocalizing her support for Palestine amid the conflict with Israel. Variety reported last month that resharing posts that accused Israel of “genocide and ethnic cleansing” and distorting “the Holocaust to boost the Israeli arms industry” led to her being dismissed.
Production company Spyglass Media Group, who is behind the newer Scream films, subsequently denied that Barrera’s pro-Palestine comments caused the decision.
“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,” their statement read.
Barrera denied violating their rules on hate speech. “First and foremost I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia,” Barrera wrote via her Instagram Story on November 22. “I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people.”
The actress noted that “as a Latina, a proud Mexicana, I feel the responsibility of having a platform that allows me the privilege of being heard,” adding that she has tried to use her celebrity status as a way to “raise awareness about issues I care about and to lend my voice to those in need.”
“Every person on this earth — regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or socio-economic status — deserves equal human rights, dignity and, of course, freedom,” Barrera continued. “I believe a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism.”
Meanwhile, Landon responded to Barrera’s firing in a since-deleted post via X on November 21, writing, “This is my statement: 💔 Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make.”
Scream VII does not yet have a release date.