Melissa Barrera is not done talking about Scream 7—or the fallout that pushed her out of the franchise. In a new interview with Variety, the actress said she believes Paramount and Spyglass inflated the film’s box office narrative after her firing became one of Hollywood’s most closely watched controversies.
Barrera, who played Sam Carpenter in Scream and Scream VI, was dropped from the seventh installment in late 2023 after posting pro-Palestinian messages on Instagram and criticizing Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Spyglass said at the time it had “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate,” a characterization Barrera rejected. “Silence is not an option for me,” she said in response.
The shakeup changed the franchise’s future almost immediately. Jenna Ortega also exited, director Christopher Landon left the project, and Scream 7 was creatively retooled to focus on returning legacy cast members, including Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard, and others. Kevin Williamson, who helped create the franchise, stepped in to direct.
The movie ultimately became a major box office hit. Scream 7 reportedly grossed more than $207 million worldwide, with some figures putting its total around $214 million, making it the highest-grossing entry in the franchise’s 30-year history.
Barrera, however, questioned that framing directly. “I think they lied about the numbers,” she told Variety. “I don’t think it made that much money.”
Her comments came as she reflected on how deeply Scream remains tied to her public identity, even after her exit. Barrera said she still signs Scream memorabilia at the stage door while starring in Titaníque on Broadway.
“People who love me from those movies are coming to see the show, and they can’t ever take that away from me,” she said.
The tension surrounding Scream 7 remains part of the movie’s legacy. Despite its commercial success, the film received mostly negative reviews from critics and became the subject of calls for a boycott tied to Barrera’s firing.
