Former Scream 7 director says death threats over Melissa Barrera exit 'got too intense': 'It was ...

&34;They were all screaming at someone who wasn't even on the movie anymore,&34; Christopher Landon said in a new book about the franchise. Former Scream 7 dire

"They were all screaming at someone who wasn't even on the movie anymore," Christopher Landon said in a new book about the franchise.

Former Scream 7 director says death threats over Melissa Barrera exit 'got too intense': 'It was painful'

"They were all screaming at someone who wasn't even on the movie anymore," Christopher Landon said in a new book about the franchise.

By Nick Romano

Nick is an entertainment journalist based in New York, NY. If you like pugs and the occasional blurry photo of an action figure, follow him on Twitter @NickARomano.

EW's editorial guidelines

Published on August 19, 2025 01:00PM EDT

Christopher Landon; Melissa Barrera in 'Scream VI'. Credit:

Amy Sussman/Getty; Philippe Bossé/Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group

Filmmaker Christopher Landon looks back on a particularly painful situation in his career: departing *Scream 7* after the firing of star Melissa Barrera and the uproar that ensued.

Ashley Cullins' new book, *Your Favorite Scary Movie: How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror* (out now), chronicles the *Scream 7* that nearly was. Landon, who came aboard to direct the movie when the original directors, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, exited, told the author that he then left the project "about a week after" production company Spyglass Entertainment fired Barrera over her social media posts about the Israel-Hamas war.

However, he then received numerous death threats and harsh criticism online for his perceived involvement in the actress's departure.

"I was still sorting through my feelings about everything that had happened. When it all went down, it was something I was trying to process in a private and balanced way," Landon said. "When you're a ­ public‑facing person, often people don't like that. People want an immediate reaction, and they want you to agree with them."

Melissa Barrera in 'Scream VI'.

Everett Collection

Landon, known for making notable horror films *Happy Death Day* and *Freaky*, said he only announced his leave from *Scream 7* "after the threats got too intense."

He continued, "They were all screaming at someone who wasn't even on the movie anymore. There were a lot of people who thought I was some sort of villain. That really got in my head. It was painful, and it was painful to lose a dream job in such a sudden and bizarre way."

'Scream 3' star Scott Foley confused by his 'Scream 7' return: 'Not sure how it's going to work'

'Scream 7' will introduce Sidney's daughter: '1923' star cast opposite Neve Campbell

Barrera's social media posts in question criticized the Israeli government's actions in Gaza. Spyglass deemed her comments "hate speech," though the star maintains she's not antisemitic or Islamophobic and condemned "hate and prejudice of any kind."

Landon reiterated that he was not going to make a *Scream 7* without Barrera. "There was no movie anymore. The whole script was about her," he said, referring to her character, Sam Carpenter, the daughter of past Ghostface killer Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich). "I didn't sign on to make 'a *Scream* movie.' I signed on to make *that* movie. When that movie no longer existed, I moved on."

Ghostface in 'Scream VI'.

The filmmaker then went on to make the movie *Drop*, starring Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar, which he said is "a love letter" to Wes Craven and "my homage to *Red Eye*." After leaving *Scream 7,* Landon said, "It took a minute," but ultimately, "it ended up being the best decision of my life."

*** Sign up for **'s free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.***

Kevin Williamson has since come aboard to direct *Scream 7* after writing the original *Scream* (1996), *Scream 2* (1997), and *Scream 4* (2011). Williamson also brought back Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott. The sequel has since been revamped to focus on Sidney's family, including her daughter (played by Isabel May) and husband (played by Joel McHale).

More details about the development of Scream 7 are included in *Your Favorite Scary Movie: How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror*, available for purchase now. The next installment of the franchise will be released in theaters on Feb. 26, 2026.

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Movies"

Read More

---

Source: VOGUE MAG

Full Article on Source: VOGUE MAG

#LALifestyle #USCelebrities