SCREAM VII (2024): Horror Movie Queen Jenna Ortega Exits Seventh Installment of SCREAM Franchise

Jenna Ortega Leaves Next Chapter of Scream

Jenna Ortega, a modern-day horror movie queen, has departed the upcoming project, Scream VII, opting to play Wednesday Addams again instead.

It is now clear that Scream VII will be unable to duplicate the exact feel of the previous two Scream pictures due to the fact that two of the film’s promised stars have left the project for completely different reasons. While Melissa Barrera’s controversial politics expressed in her social media postings have, unfortunately, tossed her off the project, Ortega has decided to explore her characterization of Wednesday Addams for the second season of the hit Netflix show, “Wednesday.”

Scheduling conflicts have been a potential issue since during the actors’ strike for Ortega so it came as no surprise that she has decided to bounce from the next Scream project. While the future of the Scream project could still be optimistic, the film may have to be rewritten and/or recast to advance forward into the production stages.

There were some opinions expressed that Ortega’s exit from the Scream film was related to Barrera’s firing but, upon further inspection, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Consequently, Neve Campbell has been in the news for being low-balled in terms of her promised salary for Scream VI which was less than Campbell believed she deserved. Campbell didn’t wish the horror movie franchise any ill-will but it seems Campbell’s absence from the sixth film is causing some kind of domino effect situation that was unprecedented. This recent turn of events has cast a doubt over the arrival of a Scream VII during its promised release time frame.

Ortega is going to be on to bigger things if another film of hers, the second Beetlejuice movie, propels itself to the box-office heights many expect it to. “Wednesday” was a huge streaming hit so it’s obvious there is more longevity in the role of Wednesday Addams than there would be to Ortega’s part in the Scream movies. “Wednesday” is the type of show that could go on for seasons while the Scream movies may have had their time in the sun. They could be past their prime at this point.

Melissa Barrera was at the height of a successful movie career before she got canned from the new Scream picture. Despite low box-office performances for Carmen and In the Heights before it, Barrera’s acting was always superb and her Scream movies made money so it’s a shame her career will probably now take a backseat to her political views.

Jenna Ortega has a lot to look forward to and simply may not have been able to handle more Scream projects given her heavy schedule. It’s also a been-there, done-that type of role for Ortega which wouldn’t have had the legs that Wednesday Addams will have for the actress’ appealing and expanding career.

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