Key Takeaways:
– Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett were removed from the Scream 7 project due to scheduling conflicts.
– Scream 7’s leading stars Samantha and Tara Carpenter, played by Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega respectively, are no longer part of the project.
– Due to the exit of the directors and stars, the project had to be redesigned.
– Neve Campbell is now scheduled to return and reprise her role as Sidney Prescott.
– Kevin Williamson, the scriptwriter for the original Scream series, is set to direct the sequel.
The Scream franchise recently went through significant turbulence resulting in massive changes to its sequel, Scream 7. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who steered the direction of the franchise in the fifth and sixth sequels post the original director Wes Craven’s passing, were abruptly removed. The duo was overly ambitious, planning on squeezing in their Universal Monsters movie production, Abigail, in between Scream 6 and Scream 7. Unfortunately, the time crunch was just too much.
Trouble in Director’s Chair
The directors explained their premature exit from the Scream franchise while talking to The Hollywood Reporter. They admitted their disappointment at not being able to complete the trilogy based on the Carpenter sisters but affirmed that they designed Scream 6 to offer a satisfactory climax to the story. Despite their removal, they will still receive executive production credits for the sequel alongside Chad Villella, their partner at the Radio Silence production company.
Cast Shake-Up: Stars Depart the Series
The situation was complicated further when the franchise stars, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, playing Samantha and Tara Carpenter, were reported to no longer be part of the sequel. Allegedly, Ortega’s request for a significant pay bump led to her parting ways with the franchise. Moreover, Barrera’s departure was a result of unsavory comments about the Israel-Hamas war, which rubbed Spyglass executives the wrong way.
Despite the reshuffle, Barrera remained optimistic about a possible return to the Scream franchise, though she expressed that the likelihood seems slim due to the current circumstances.
New Directing and Cast Inclusions
To cope with the directorial vacuum, Paramount and Spyglass roped in Christopher Landon, known for Freaky and Happy Death Day, but plans took a significant hit when Landon left the project shortly after his induction. The directors confirmed having been in touch with Landon about Scream 7 before his departure.
Scream 7’s plot had to undergo significant changes, with the focus shifting away from the Carpenter sisters. Franchise veteran Neve Campbell is now set to reprise her role as Sidney Prescott. There’s also speculation about co-star Patrick Dempsey making a comeback as LAPD Detective Mark Kincaid, a role he played in Scream 3.
The writing department is also set to see some familiar faces. Kevin Williamson, who penned the original Scream, is now slated to direct the new sequel. It marks his return to the director’s chair after his 1999 thriller, Teaching Mrs. Tingle. He’ll be working from a screenplay crafted by Guy Busick, the writer behind the fifth and sixth sequels, in collaboration with James Vanderbilt, who would also serve as a producer on the new films.
In wake of all these changes, the industry and fans have been buzzing, eagerly waiting for the new direction Scream 7 will take. The air is thick with anticipation and a little bit of concern. Whether the reshuffling will refurbish the franchise, or dilute its essence, only time can tell.
What’s your take on the massive shake-up Scream 7 has undergone? Would you have preferred to stick with the Carpenter sisters’ story arc, or are you excited about Sidney Prescott’s return?
