Scream 7 Premiere: Protests Erupt Outside

Pro-Palestine protesters voiced their dissent outside the recent Scream 7 premiere held at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles. Demonstrators held signs and flags, with one message reading "Cancel Paramount+". This event coincided with the earlier decision by Spyglass to remove actress Melissa Barrera from the franchise due to her pro-Palestine social media comments.

Director Kevin Williamson, who is now writing and directing Scream 7, commented on the red carpet, affirming the right to protest. He told Deadline, "We live in America, we have the right to protest. We have a right to be heard." Separately, he remarked to Variety that while he supports people wanting to be heard, he questioned if canceling Paramount+ was the effective solution.

Barrera, who played Sam Carpenter in previous Scream installments, had posted "I see you" on social media, seemingly in response to the protest. Spyglass had previously stated it has "zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate." Barrera countered by condemning antisemitism and highlighting her commitment to raising awareness about issues important to her.

The controversy led to a significant shake-up, with director Christopher Landon and star Jenna Ortega also departing the production. Ortega later confirmed that her exit was not solely due to scheduling conflicts with her Netflix series "Wednesday."