Another one bites the dust in the “Scream” franchise as its seventh installment sees renowned director Christopher Landon exiting the upcoming production.
The drama surrounding the horror series continues following two unexpected exits, with Landon marking the movie’s third hiccup since its announcement. The filmmaker recently opened up about his departure, implying that the happenings behind the scenes turned his job into a nightmare.
Christopher Landon Says He Is Heartbroken For Everyone Involved In ‘Scream 7’
In his latest social media post, Landon clarified that he is over his commitments to the “Scream” series. He expressed his discontentment with the production on X, sharing two lengthy tweets with the first reading:
“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.”
The director refused to share what sparked his decision to leave the horror franchise; however, he implied it might have something to do with the studio’s decision to fire one of its actresses. Echoing his hopes for “Scream 7” in his second tweet, Landon wrote:
“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.”
His departure announcement comes on the heels of Melissa Barrera‘s expulsion from the horror franchise over her social media posts about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Following news of her exit, Landon noted he was not to blame in a since-deleted post before Spyglass Media released a statement revealing their reasons for letting the actress go.
“Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion, or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech,” their statement read.
However, their words only made Barrera double down on her decision to talk about the Israel-Hamas conflict. She refuted Spyglass Media’s statement on her Instagram Story, noting she did not express any antisemitic or Islamophobic views.
“I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people,” she wrote before explaining why she addressed the sensitive topic. According to Barrera, she felt “the responsibility of having a platform that allows me the privilege of being heard, and therefore, I have tried to use it to raise awareness about issues I care about and to lend my voice to those in need.”
Barrera was a critical part of the “Scream” franchise with fellow actress Jenna Ortega. While the first was fired for her views, the latter willingly left the horror series because of scheduling conflicts with another hit project.
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
— christopher landon (@creetureshow) December 23, 2023
Ortega cannot reprise her iconic role in the horror series, as she is scheduled to be in Ireland by April 2024. While the script for “Scream VIII” is still under production, the actress will be filming the second season of Netflix’s hit series “Wednesday,” of which she plays the titular character.
Christopher Landon Replaced Former Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Before his recent departure, Landon made waves in August by taking over the director’s chair from Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. The former directors, known as Radio Silence, were behind the horror franchise’s highly successful 2022 revival and 2023’s hit “Scream VI.”
Radio Silence reportedly dropped out of the franchise’s seventh installment to focus on a new original horror project for Universal Pictures. However, the deal was placed on hiatus due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
Although Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett no longer served as directors, they will remain on board the seventh installment as executive producers alongside Chad Villela. As for their replacement, many were excited to have Landon take the lead, given his achievements in the horror genre.
The 48-year-old has directed hit movies like “Happy Death Day” and its sequel, “Happy Death Day 2 U.” He also helmed the hit body-swapping horror-comedy “Freaky” and directed this year’s supernatural comedy original feature on Netflix, “We Have a Ghost.”