In the latest update on the Scream film series, actors Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera will not be returning for 'Scream VII'. The departures come amidst some significant controversy involving Barrera, who was released from the project following her comments on social media about the Israel-Hamas conflict, with accusations of antisemitism leading to her firing. Production company Spyglass released a statement asserting a zero-tolerance policy for antisemitism and hate speech.

Jenna Ortega's exit from the Scream franchise, however, is attributed to schedule clashes with her Netflix series 'Wednesday'. Her departure was seemingly unrelated to the firing of co-star Barrera, and discussions concerning her exit were underway prior to the resolution of the recent actors' strike. Scream VI had previously featured Ortega and Barrera as central characters, leading fans to expect their continued involvement in future installments.

The firing of Melissa Barrera ignited a discussion on social media, with some individuals criticizing the move as indicative of a new form of Hollywood blacklisting. Nonetheless, with both Ortega and Barrera no longer part of 'Scream VII', it remains to be seen what direction the next installment will take, especially considering the change in direction with Christopher Landon taking over from Radio Silence, the team behind Scream's fifth and sixth movies.