While “Scream” producers scramble to figure out how to move the franchise forward, fans are voicing their belief that the series managed to wipe away its nearly three-decade legacy in a matter of 24 hours. Immediately after it was announced that Melissa Barrera was fired from “Scream 7” due to social media posts, fans came out in droves to support her and denounce Spyglass Media’s decisions. Take to the r/Scream fan subreddit and it becomes obvious that a majority of fans are vocal about their displeasure. “I’m not watching without her,” wrote user u/Aggressive-Motor1764S in a post featuring a still of Barrera’s Sam. That post has since accrued over 5,000 upvotes, emerging as the most upvoted post in the entire subreddit.
Fans continue to rally behind Barrera, especially after she posted a statement where she addressed claims made by Spyglass Media that she spread antisemitic messaging. And with Ortega gone, the sentiment to abandon “Scream” has grown considerably. While Ortega’s decision to leave “Scream 7” behind is reportedly rooted in scheduling conflicts and not Barrera’s dismissal, the announcement of the news and its timing is certainly leaving fans scratching their heads.
Many seem adamant about boycotting “Scream 7,” regardless of what it looks like. A viral post on X from @zachsilberberg reads “Audiences not returning for ‘SCREAM 7,'” with an attached image of an empty cinema. The fan backlash is immense and in a situation like this, studios typically go for fan service, like bringing an old guard back to quell outrage. But even if Spyglass can bring Neve Campbell back, fans just don’t seem to care.
