Jenna Ortega has revealed why she will not be returning to the next instalment of the Scream franchise.
Jenna Ortega on why she exited ‘Scream’
In a wide-ranging interview published by The Cut, the actress made it clear that her exit had nothing to do with money or scheduling conflicts, despite what some early reports claimed.
Ortega played Tara Carpenter in Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), a role that earned her a strong following among horror fans. But by late 2023, things started falling apart behind the scenes.
When her co-star Melissa Barrera was fired for comments she made online, Ortega said the project began to unravel.
Speaking about her decision, Ortega said:
“The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart. 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 was referring to directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who had already left the project by then.
Ortega’s comments confirm that her choice to step away was based on the creative direction and changes behind the camera, not personal issues or outside commitments.
What we know so far about ‘Scream 7’
The next chapter of the Scream franchise is going ahead, now led by Scream original creator Kevin Williamson, who is directing this time. The story will move forward with a new cast alongside returning veterans.
Neve Campbell will reprise her role as Sidney Prescott after being absent from Scream VI.
Courteney Cox returns as Gale Weathers, and David Arquette, whose character Dewey Riley was killed in an earlier film, is also confirmed to appear. How his return will be explained has not been revealed yet.
The cast also includes Isabel May as Sidney’s daughter, Joel McHale as her husband, Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy Meeks-Martin, Mason Gooding as Chad Meeks-Martin, and voice actor Roger L. Jackson returning as Ghostface.
New additions to the cast include Anna Camp, Mckenna Grace, Ethan Embry, and Michelle Randolph in undisclosed roles.
Filming began in January 2025 under the working title Scar Tissue and is taking place in Atlanta.
Paramount Pictures has announced that Scream 7 will hit theatres on 27 February 2026.
This will be the seventh film in the long-running horror franchise and comes after a series of shake-ups in both cast and crew. Despite the drama, fans can expect more Ghostface thrills with a mix of returning favourites and fresh faces.
