Following the firing of co-lead Melissa Barrera from Scream 7, franchise returnee Matthew Lillard has felt retroactive “shame” after his decision to return the slasher IP. After leading both Scream (2022) and its sequel Scream VI, Barrera was fired in 2023 for voicing advocacy for Palestine amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
While production company Spyglass insisted on continuing the franchise for a seventh installment, they decided to pivot the storyline, reverting the reins back to OG final girl Sidney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell who originated the role in 1996. Lillard, who also starred in the first installment, Scream, returned to the franchise earlier this year alongside Campbell in an A.I. based iteration of his villain character. The actor has since taken to a Q&A on video-sharing platform TikTok to express his “embarrassment” on returning to the role after Barrera’s firing, stating the Mexican actress was “on the right side” of history.
“Melissa Barrera, who’s a beautiful actor, was fired for what she said…That’s really fucking bullshit and really hard, and she’s on the right side of history. And when they start coming after your job, sometimes things are worth it. But I’m just gonna say, what happened to Melissa, the whole world didn’t pipe up,” he added. “She was like a year early on what the fuck’s going on, but the whole world should have piped up and said, ‘She’s right,’ and they didn’t. And that’s brutal.”
“I feel shame about that,” he added. “Because in that moment, I was so excited to go back, I didn’t really think about Melissa and the journey, and I didn’t say ‘no.’ And I’m embarrassed, and that’s the truth.”
Several industry members have since voiced their support for Palestine amid the ongoing conflict, with many citing Barrera as one of the first brave enough to speak out. Franchise co-lead Jenna Ortega and initial proposed Scream 7 director Christopher Landon (Freaky, Happy Death Day) shortly followed Barrera’s lead after her exit. Instead, Scream 7 focused on the return of Sidney Prescott, centering around her family life as yet another Ghostface killer begins targeting her and her teenage daughter.
Scream 7 was directed by original Scream scribe Kevin Williamson, and despite its 30% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film went on to the be the highest grossing in the franchise.
Scream 8 is stated to be in active development, with Poker Face screenwriters, sisters Lilla and Nora Zuckerman set to write the script.
Leave a Comment