Christopher Landon’s story isn’t just about Hollywood politics, it’s about how a dream job can collapse overnight. But, as he reveals, this wasn’t a bad thing.
When did Christopher Landon leave Scream 7?
According to Ashley Cullins’ new book Your Favorite Scary Movie: How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror, Landon lasted only days after Spyglass Media cut ties with Barrera over her social media posts about the Israel-Hamas war. The firing sparked an immediate uproar among fans.
Original ‘SCREAM 7’ director says he left the project because the film “no longer existed” after Melissa Barrera’s firing.
“The whole script was about her. I didn’t sign on to make ‘a Scream movie.’ I signed on to make that movie.”
(Via: https://t.co/Bpid3lFK4T) pic.twitter.com/wTpPfeE9xi
— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) August 20, 2025
Landon told Cullins he was “still sorting through my feelings” when the online abuse began. Death threats piled up, and the director found himself painted as the villain in a situation he says he didn’t control. His decision to exit was partly about self-preservation. “They were all screaming at someone who wasn’t even on the movie anymore,” he recalled.
Why did Melissa Barrera’s firing matter so much?
Barrera had become central to the franchise in Scream (2022) and Scream 6. Her character, Sam Carpenter, was the emotional anchor of the seventh film’s script. Landon put it plainly: “I didn’t sign on to make a Scream movie. I signed on to make that movie.” Without her, there was nothing left for him to direct.
Spyglass argued that Barrera’s posts – accusing Israel of “genocide & ethnic cleansing” – crossed into hate speech. The actress pushed back, saying she condemns all hate and prejudice. Paramount stayed quiet. For Landon, though, the creative issue was simpler: “There was no movie anymore.”
What happened next for Landon and Scream 7?
After leaving, Landon turned to Drop, a thriller he calls his homage to Wes Craven’s Red Eye. In hindsight, he says it “ended up being the best decision of my life.”
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Meanwhile, Kevin Williamson, who wrote the original Scream (1996), stepped in to direct. The revamped script shifts focus back to Sidney Prescott, with Neve Campbell returning and Isabel May cast as Sidney’s daughter. The release date is set for February 26, 2026.
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