It’s barely been two months since Melissa Barrera got fired from “Scream VII,” but the actress has put the franchise and Spyglass Media in her rearview mirror. She’s still happy with her time working on the slasher series, though. Deadline reports that the actress talked about “Scream” at Sundance last night while promoting her latest film, Caroline Lindy‘s “Your Monster,” as well as the brief reunion she had with her franchise co-stars last weekend.
“I’m just so grateful on what I got to infuse in the franchise, and that’s something I’ll be proud of forever,” Barrera told the outlet last night. It’s a wise but safe comment for the actress to make after Spyglass fired her from “Scream VII” on Thanksgiving eve last November for remarks she made on Instagram about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Barrera’s choice to focus on her work, rather than the fallout of Spyglass’ decision to can her, is savvy. And it’s clear her dismissal from “Scream VII” won’t affect her career in 2024. Besides”Your Monster,” Barrera also stars in the latest Radio Silence horror pic, “Abigail,” as well as “The Collaboration.”
As for Spyglass, the future of their beloved slasher franchise remains up in the air after they fired Barrera. Shortly after Barrera’s exit, news broke that fellow “Scream V” and “Scream VI” star Jenna Ortega was also leaving the upcoming sequel, citing scheduling conflicts. Director Christopher Landon dropped out of the project a month later, calling his experience on the film “a dream that turned into a nightmare.” Barerra and Ortega’s exit leaves the “Scream” franchise in a tailspin and in need of creative reset after two films with the actresses as the series’ new scream queens. As Barerra does press for “Your Monster” and Ortega continues work on “Beetlejuice 2” and “Wednesday” it’s unclear what the future hold for Ghostface. Landon has moved on, too, to a werewolf pick called “Big Bad” that Lionsgate is circling.
Barerra was quick to respond to her firing from “Scream VII” in November. “I will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom,” she wrote on social media. “Silence is not an option for me.” And Spyglass’ actions haven’t kept Barerra from reuniting with her “Scream” co-stars. Last weekend at the MPTF‘s 17th Annual Evening Before Gala, the actress took a photo with Ortega and other “Scream” actors that made its way onto Instagram. Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Liana Liberato, Tony Revolori, Jack Quaid, and Skeet Ulrich all took the picture together. “We’re family for life,” Barrera said of the photo.
“If we’re ever in the vicinity of each other, we always find each other and that’s what happened at that event.