Scream 7 director abruptly quits after Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera both leave the project

Those excited for the upcoming Scream 7 flick have been left disappointed following the news its director has quit the project.

The highly anticipated sequel is planned for release in 2025, though the movie has not left the headlines in recent months for all the wrong reasons.

Back in November, Melissa Barrera was fired from her role in the horror franchise after comments she made about the Israel-Hamas war on social media.

One Instagram post saw her upload an image of the Palestinian flag and her native country Mexico along with the caption: "I too come from a colonized country" / "Palestine WILL be free," while quoting a famous line from Greek poet Dinos Christianopoulos: "They tried to bury us, they didn't know we were seeds."

Philippe Bossé/Paramount Pictures

Spyglass Media Group - the film production company behind the films - clarified that Barrera was not fired for showing support for the Palestinian cause, but rather for posts that were deemed antisemitic.

Just a day later, it was reported that Jenna Ortega would not be reprising her role for Scream 7, citing scheduling conflicts with the Netflix show Wednesday.

According to a report from Deadline, her decision to step away from the movie came before the SAG-AFTRA strike which halted Hollywood in recent months.

Following Wednesday's huge success after its debut in November 2022, the 21-year-old is said to be focusing her attention on the second series.

Now, the film's director, Christopher Landon, has announced his departure from the Scream 7 team with a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The director, who is best known for the likes of Paranormal Activity and the Happy Death Day films, said the project had gone from his 'dream job' to a 'nightmare'.

Michael Tullberg/Getty Images

He penned: "I guess now is as good a time as any to announce I formally exited Scream VII 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 legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world. What he and Kevin created is something amazing and I was honoured to have even the briefest moment basking in their glow."

UNILAD has reached out to Paramount Pictures for comment.