Jenna Ortega is finally breaking her silence about why she decided to leave the “Scream” franchise. After starring in the fifth and sixth installments of the fan favorite horror franchise, Ortega dropped out of “Scream 7” last year. At the time, it was claimed that the actress had scheduling conflicts due to her work in the Netflix series “Wednesday.” However, the starlet is now setting the record straight and revealing what really went down.
In a brand new interview with The Cut, Jenna Ortega says that her decision to drop out of “Scream 7” had nothing to do with scheduling or pay. Instead, she revealed that she felt the movie was falling apart after the directors of the previous film exited the film and her co-star Melissa Barrera was fired after making remarks about Isreal-Hamas war on social media.
“It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling,” Ortega confirmed. “The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart. If “Scream VII” wasn’t going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn’t seem like the right move for me in my career at the time.”
Jenna Ortega Spills The Real Tea On Her Scream Exit
Of course, Jenna knows a thing or two about working within a franchise. In addition to her role in the “Scream” films, she’s also starred in 2024’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and wowed as Wednesday Addams for the Netflix series. While the actress says she knows that she’s been drawn to franchises in the past, she is prioritizing original work as well. “An original script is exciting. If I can help get it made, I love to do that,” she says.
Meanwhile, “Scream 7” isn’t dead. Instead, it has been rerouted to take a more nostalgic route. Courteney Cox will return as Gale Weathers, and after exiting the franchise because of pay, final girl Neve Campbell is back as OG survivor Sidney Prescott.
What’s Next For Scream 7?
The film will center on Sidney and her family. Joel McHale has signed on to play her husband, Mark, and Isabel May will play Sidney’s daughter. Mark Consuelos has also been cast in the film, as well as Celeste O’Connor, McKenna Grace, Sam Rechner, and Asa Germann. Matthew Lillard, who played Stu Mocker in the original film, has also been confirmed to return to the franchise, but it’s unclear in what capacity.
Although Jenna Ortega won’t be part of “Scream 7,” fans are still excited for the movie. The official release date is set for February 27, 2026.
Amanda Lynne 
Dylan Cook 
