Director Christopher Landon has announced he is exiting the upcoming horror sequel Scream VII, just weeks after the sudden departure of star Melissa Barrera. In a post on X, Landon called the directing job his “dream” that unfortunately “turned into a nightmare.”
He did not provide further details on what led to his exit, but said his “heart did break for everyone involved.” Barrera’s firing came shortly after some controversial social media posts about the Israel-Hamas conflict. The studio, Spyglass Media, released a statement condemning antisemitism and hate speech as reasons for letting her go.
Barrera later spoke out against anti-semitism and Islamophobia, while explaining she felt a responsibility to use her platform to raise awareness about important issues.
With both the director and a lead star now off the project, the future of Scream VII seems uncertain. Landon ended his post by praising the legacy of Wes Craven, who created the lucrative horror franchise.
This is undoubtedly a big blow to the next installment in the popular slasher series. It remains to be seen if Spyglass will be able to move forward without Landon’s creative vision at the helm.
