Jenna Ortega is not returning for Scream VII.
Deadline reports that Ortega’s decision is due to conflicts with her shooting scheduled for Netflix’s Wednesday, but the news comes on the heels of Scream co-star Melissa Barrera’s firing from the film following her vocal support of Palestine.
As stars of the 2022 Scream reboot and 2023’s Scream VI, Ortega and Barrera helped revitalize the horror franchise for a new generation. To date, the two films have combined to gross over $300 million.
Scream VII was announced in August 2023, with a targeted release date of 2024. Director Christopher Landon and writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick now face the daunting task of making a sequel sans two of its leading stars.
Aside from Season 2 of Wednesday, Ortega also stars in Tim Burton’s upcoming BeetleJuice sequel, which is set to hit theaters on September 6th, 2024.