Highlights
- Christopher Landon has stepped down as director of Scream 7, adding to the franchise’s ongoing crisis.
- Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega have already left the project, leaving no returning cast members or director attached.
- The future of Scream 7 is uncertain with options for a reboot or a return to the roots of the series being considered.
Christopher Landon has announced he’s stepped down from directing duties on Scream 7. This follows on from Melissa Barrera’s firing and Jenna Ortega stepping away after a dispute over pay. Plans for the next installment in the horror franchise are in crisis with this latest departure leaving fans wondering what to expect from Scream 7, with no returning cast members attached and no director on board.
Things were looking so promising for the Scream franchise after Scream 6 broke box office records, making it the highest grossing sequel in the series. But since Scream 7 was announced, things have gone from bad to worse. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett announced they weren’t returning to direct, which was a big disappointment, but the announcement that Christopher Landon had signed on to direct softened the blow somewhat. But then Barrera and Ortega left the project, followed by Landon’s eventual departure as well.
Christopher Landon has exited Scream 7, leaving the franchise in disarray
Fans were only just recovering from the news of Barrera and Ortega’s exits from Scream 7, when they were hit by Landon’s exit as well. After Barrera was fired, Landon did speak out in a since-deleted tweet on X (formerly Twitter), making it clear it wasn’t his decision for Barrera to get fired from the project.
This is my statement. Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make.
Landon was clearly not happy with Barrera’s departure, as her character, Sam Carpenter, was a massive part of the franchise moving forward, after she was the central focus of the last two movies in the series. Her departure changed plans for Scream 7, with a script already written that featured her character as the focus. Jenna Ortega was still expected to return at this point, but it was announced soon after Barrera’s firing, that she also wouldn’t be returning, creating more changes for Landon to deal with.
Why did Christopher Landon exit Scream 7?
It’s unclear why Christopher Landon officially left Scream 7. However, losing both Carpenter sisters was not an ideal situation, especially as they had become the beating heart of the franchise when the focus shifted to them in Scream (2022). They successfully followed it up in Scream 6, with Neve Campbell’s departure not affecting the box office success of the movie.
Landon officially announced his departure from Scream 7 in a tweet on X (formerly Twitter) last week.
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.
Landon doesn’t go into detail about the reasons behind his exit from Scream 7, but he has turned his back on the franchise he was gearing up to be a part of after stating he left a dream job after it turned into a ‘nightmare.’ He revealed he left the project weeks ago, and paid tribute to the amazing work of Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson.
It would’ve been fascinating to see what the Happy Death Day and Freaky director could’ve done with the Scream franchise, but sadly his vision will likely never see the light of day as things stand after a disastrous couple of weeks for the franchise.
What next for the Scream franchise?
It’s unclear what is now happening with Scream 7, with the two main lead actors exiting the project, and no director on board, after Landon quit. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are still attached as executive producers, and James Vanderbilt is reportedly re-working the script for the upcoming sequel. There are a couple of different directions the Scream franchise could go in next. There has been a case for a reboot plan put forward, and it’s reportedly being considered, as well as a possible return to the roots of the series, with the return of Neve Campbell in a Sidney Prescott-focused story.
Scream 7 was due to start filming sometime in 2024, but this is looking highly unlikely with the recent upheaval. Scream 6 ended very strongly in terms of the story, meaning the best idea might be to cancel Scream 7, and rest the series for the time being until the ongoing behind-the-scenes drama calms down. Time is a healer, and one would hope that Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega could complete Sam and Tara’s stories in a sequel much further down the line. If Spyglass were to sell the rights, and another production company took on the reins, Christopher Landon is definitely still a director who could fit the bill to direct a Scream movie.
Scream
The Scream movie and TV franchise began with the release of the first film in 1996. Directed by horror master Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, the deconstruction of slasher movies was an instant cultural, critical, and financial hit. Neve Campbell, who plays ongoing final girl Sidney Prescott, has become a horror icon in her own right, along with Ghostface, the only horror villain whose identity is always changing. Nearly three decades later, the Scream franchise shows no signs of slowing down.
