Between May and September 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike brought Hollywood to a standstill for 148 days. Still, production plans for Scream 7 were already underway, racing to capitalize on the massive success of Scream VI, which had premiered on March 10, 2023.

The strike inevitably impacted the project. In solidarity, most productions came to a halt, including the next Scream. Behind the scenes, the Radio Silence directors were preparing to film Abigail—a vampire thriller also starring Melissa Barrera—before returning to complete their Scream trilogy.

Producers, however, were eager to keep the momentum going. When the directors hesitated, they were given an ultimatum: move forward with Scream 7 or step aside. Radio Silence chose to pursue Abigail, leaving the Ghostface mantle behind.

With Busick and Vanderbilt still credited as writers, the project landed in the hands of Christopher Landon—a name with deep roots in Woodsboro history.

Landon’s connection to Scream runs deep. At just 18, he interned at Woods Entertainment, one of the production companies behind the 1996 original. Influenced by Kevin Williamson’s scripts and Wes Craven’s direction, Landon went on to craft his own niche in horror—balancing tension and dark humor through films like Happy Death Day (2017) and Freaky (2020).

He seemed the perfect choice to fill the big shoes left by Radio Silence. And once the SAG-AFTRA strike ended, his involvement was expected to be announced officially—a plan that materialized in August 2023, even before the strike concluded, as leaks were already circulating online.

But by then, the project was already falling apart.

According to Landon, one of the first revelations he received was that Jenna Ortega would not return as Tara Carpenter. There was still a faint hope for a brief cameo via video call, but nothing concrete.

At the time of Scream VI’s release, Ortega had skyrocketed into global stardom following the monumental success of Wednesday and her casting in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (released September 11, 2024). Her name was a marketing powerhouse.

Rumors of her departure had already surfaced, linked to a natural increase in her pay rate. Much like Neve Campbell’s salary dispute before Scream VI, The Hollywood Reporter claimed that Spyglass CEO Gary Barber could not reach an agreement with Ortega’s representatives regarding her new A-list status.

Then, in a chain of events that would devastate the production, Deadline officially reported her exit on November 22, 2023—a day after the franchise’s most explosive controversy.

While sources cited scheduling conflicts with Wednesday Season 2 (filmed in Ireland between May and December 2024), Ortega herself later clarified a different reason.

In a March 2025 interview with The Cut, she stated her departure wasn’t about pay or scheduling:

“The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart. If Scream 7 wasn’t going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn’t seem like the right move for me in my career at the time.”

On November 21, 2023, one day before Ortega’s exit went public, the franchise’s foundation cracked wide open.

Spyglass announced that Melissa Barrera had been dropped from Scream 7 following her humanitarian posts supporting civilians in Gaza amid the escalating Israel–Hamas conflict. The studio’s statement to Variety accused her of antisemitism, a claim Barrera immediately rejected.

Her official response read:

“First and foremost, I condemn anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people.”

The situation mirrored the arc of her character, Sam Carpenter—vilified by the public despite her innocence. The backlash from fans was swift and fierce, with many announcing boycotts and calling out Spyglass.

The controversy soon engulfed Landon himself. By Christmas Eve 2023, after receiving threats against his family, the director announced he was stepping down.

In Your Favorite Scary Movie by Ashley Cullins, Landon explained:

“I made my decision to walk away about a week after they fired her. There was no movie anymore. The whole script was about her. 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.”

After new salary negotiations (which Campbell won this time), the actress personally reached out to Williamson to invite him aboard.

“I got to ask him, and he just burst into tears. And I started crying too because I was happy for him and happy that we’re going to get to have this experience together. It was a very beautiful, very sweet moment—and of course it should be Kevin. Absolutely he should direct one of these. He knows these characters and these films better than anyone.”

The reunion of Scream’s creator and its enduring heroine set the tone for what was next.

Principal photography for Scream 7 took place from January 7 to March 12, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Unlike previous films—often documented through social media glimpses and many paparazzi leaks—this production has remained tightly sealed. Very few behind-the-scenes images surfaced, making this the most secretive Scream film to date.

Patrick Dempsey confirmed he was in talks to return as Mark Kincaid — but wildfires in Los Angeles forced him to step away before filming began.