'She-Hulk' star Tatiana Maslany urges fans to boycott 'Scream 7' over Melissa Barrera’s firing

Melissa Barrera from the film in November 2023 after she shared posts supporting Palestine amid Israeli violence

Tatiana Maslany has urged fans to boycott Scream 7, adding to ongoing controversy surrounding the latest instalment of the long-running horror franchise.

The She-Hulk actress posted a brief message on her Instagram story reading, “Boycott Scream 7.”

Photo: Instagram

Her comment follows the dismissal of Melissa Barrera from the film in November 2023 after she shared posts supporting Palestine during the Israel-Palestine crisis. Spyglass Media Group stated at the time that Barrera’s messages crossed into antisemitic rhetoric, prompting widespread debate online.

Barrera portrayed Sam Carpenter in the 2022 and 2023 Scream films and was considered a central figure in the franchise’s revival. Following her exit, co-star Jenna Ortega and director Christopher Landon also departed the project. Landon later described the film as “a dream job that turned into a nightmare,” without providing further details.

Reports indicated that the script required significant rewrites after Barrera’s removal, with costs said to reach $500,000. Producers subsequently adjusted the direction of the film as they sought to continue the series without the characters played by Barrera and Ortega.

Amid the upheaval, Neve Campbell is set to return as Sidney Prescott after previously stepping away from 2023’s Scream VI due to a pay dispute. She has reportedly secured a $7 million agreement to reprise her role. Courteney Cox also returns, having appeared in every Scream film since the original in 1996, with reports suggesting a $2 million deal.

The film currently holds a 48 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest score within the Scream franchise to date, according to reports.