Former ‘Scream VII' director discusses his ‘painful' exit from the franchise

CNN

2 days ago

When writer-director Christopher Landon departed 'Scream VII' in 2023, there was what he says really happened and then there was a perceived story of what went down.
Landon – helmer of popular horror tiles including 'Happy Death Day' in 2017 and 2020's 'Freaky,' and the son of 'Little House on the Prairie' star Michael Landon – left the 'Scream' franchise shortly after then-star Melissa Barerra was fired from the project, following social media posts she shared around that time about the war in Gaza.
'There was no movie anymore. The whole script was about her,' Landon said in the newly published book, 'Your Favorite Scary Movie: How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror' by Ashley Cullins, via Entertainment Weekly. '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.'
And while he said he left the project 'about a week after' Barrera's exit, the narrative that played out on social media painted him as 'some sort of villain' who had a hand in the actress' firing.
'They were all screaming at someone who wasn't even on the movie anymore. There were a lot of people who thought I was some sort of villain. That really got in my head. It was painful, and it was painful to lose a dream job in such a sudden and bizarre way,' Landon said.
Days after Barerra's exit from the film – the seventh installment in the popular horror franchise that launched in 1996 and was rebooted in 2022 – her costar from the previous two slasher sequels Jenna Ortega also dropped out, adding to the hysteria around the next installment's production status and ultimate fate. Landon added in the new book that his decision to speak out about his departure publicly became necessary 'after the threats got too intense.'
'I was still sorting through my feelings about everything that had happened. When it all went down, it was something I was trying to process in a private and balanced way,' he said. 'When you're a ­ public‑facing person, often people don't like that. People want an immediate reaction, and they want you to agree with them.'
Instead of 'Scream VII,' Landon ultimately focused on 'Drop,' the thriller he wrote and directed starring 'White Lotus' star Meghann Fahy, which released to favorable reviews.
'It took a minute,' he said about the pivot he navigated in his career at the time, but 'it ended up being the best decision of my life.'
'Scream VII,' meanwhile, found new life, with original 'Scream' (1996) scribe Kevin Williamson on board to direct. Returning with him are original franchise stars Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, along with a whole host of other former 'Scream' stars who were killed off in prior installments, including David Arquette, Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley.
The new film is slated for release in February 2026.