Paramount Shout franchise was plunged into new disarray with the departure of Scream 7 director Christopher Landon.
On Twitter, the director explained that he left the project “weeks ago” and candidly called it a “dream job that turned into a nightmare.” And my heart broke for everyone involved. Everyone. But it’s time to move on. Landon, who previously headed the Happy death day duology and Weirdwas hired to direct in early August, taking over directing duties from previous directors. Radio silence (aka Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett).
Scream 7 has been hit by controversy as 2023 draws to a close. In November, more than a month ago, Paramount and Spyglass fired Melissa Barrerawho played co-lead Sam Carpenter for Scream 5 And Scream 6. At the time, his dismissal was reportedly due to his pro-Palestinian comments referencing the war between Israel and Hamas. Shortly after, my friend co-lead Jenna Ortega– who plays Sam’s sister Tara – has left the film. Ortega’s departure was reportedly prompted by scheduling conflicts between this season and Netflix’s second season. Wednesday, but the timing of this news was…more than a little strange, considering the fact.
With the two women excluded, reports indicated that Cry VII would now rotate their characters. The alleged goal is to bring back series mainstays Courtney Cox (who appeared in the last two films), Neve Campbell (removed from Scream 6 due to salary disputes), and Patrick Dempsey, who joined the series with Scream 3. As of this writing, it’s unclear if any of the three have returned, and it’s also unclear what will happen with the soft reboot’s other two main cast members, Jasmine Savoy-Brown and Mason Gooding, who play twins Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin.
In his brief message, Land on offered his best wishes to those still working on Cry 7, saying he hopes the legacy of original director Wes Craven continues and “rises above the din of a divided world.” What he and Kevin created is something incredible and I was honored to be able to enjoy, even for the briefest of moments, their brilliance.
io9 has contacted Spyglass for comment and will update this story when a response is given.
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