Scream 7 Faces Creative Shake-Up with Neve Campbell and Patrick Dempsey in Talks
- Horror News
Emily Bennett- 0
- 3 minutes read
In an unexpected turn of events, the production of Scream 7 is facing a major creative reboot following the firing of star Melissa Barrera. Barrera was let go by Spyglass, the film’s producer, due to social media messages that were deemed antisemitic, an accusation she vehemently denies. This decision came hot on the heels of Jenna Ortega’s departure from the cast, attributed to scheduling conflicts with her hit Netflix series, Wednesday.
Variety’s report indicates that the production is now undergoing a significant “creative reset” in the wake of losing two key stars. The hope is to bring back original franchise star Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott. Campbell, who skipped the sixth film due to a pay dispute, might now receive the compensation she advocated for, especially with Barrera and Ortega no longer part of the project.
However, the surprises don’t end there. While Courteney Cox’s return is a possibility, the studio is reportedly eager to bring back Patrick Dempsey, who played Sidney’s love interest in the third film. Given the hint in the fifth movie that Sidney and Dempsey’s character, Mark Kincaid, got married, his return could add an interesting dynamic. Dempsey, recently crowned People’s Sexiest Man Alive, is currently starring in Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving.
Christopher Landon, known for Happy Death Day and Freaky, remains the director despite expressing disappointment over Barrera’s firing. The report also sheds light on Jenna Ortega’s exit, clarifying that she was never intended to be one of the movie’s leads due to her busy schedule with Wednesday.
The upheaval in the cast has prompted the writers, James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, to work on a fresh draft for the film. Plans for the next Scream were already being retooled before Barrera’s firing, and now the project is essentially starting from scratch.
As Spyglass had no comment on the situation, fans are left anticipating whether the iconic characters played by Neve Campbell and Patrick Dempsey will indeed return to the Scream universe. The hope remains for Scream 7 to hit theaters in 2025, even with the significant changes in its creative direction.
