And you thought Scream VII couldn’t get be more of a mess following the departure of stars Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega within 24 hours of one another. Now it’s director Christopher Landon who has made his exit, calling the project “a dream job that turned into a nightmare.”
Landon revealed the news on social media, going further in depth with his comments…
“I guess now is as good a time as any to announce I formally exited Scream 7 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 Wes’ legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world. What he and Kevin created is something amazing and I was honored to have even the briefest moment basking in their glow.”
Last month, Barrera was fired for social media comments about the Palestine/Israel conflict that the studio deemed to be antisemitic. The next day, Ortega departed the franchise citing conflicts with her Netflix series, Wednesday.
Landon boarded the franchise to direct Scream VII, following a revitalization of the horror by directors Radio Silence with 2022’s Scream and 2023’s Scream VI. The match seemed to be a perfect fit, given Landon’s track record with the Paranormal Activity and Happy Death Day franchises.
It remains to be seen where Scream VII goes from here. Writer James Vanderbilt is still around, having written the last two films. He’s said to be figuring out how to move forward following the departures of Barrera and Ortega, and now the loss of his creative partner Landon is another hurdle to contend with.
