Fans Support Barrera, Ortega as Scream 7 Faces BDS-Led Boycott

The release of the Scream 7 trailer has sparked significant backlash due to the absence of Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, who were key figures in the previous films. Barrera was fired by Spyglass Media in 2023 following her social media comments supporting Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, a move justified by the studio's zero tolerance policy on antisemitism and hate speech. Ortega left the franchise shortly after Barrera's dismissal, citing the project's instability without her co-star. Fans and advocacy groups, including the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement along with 22 arts organizations, have called for a boycott of the film, accusing the studio of silencing pro-Palestinian voices. Despite the controversy, Scream 7 will feature the return of legacy actors such as Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette and is slated for release on February 27, 2026. Supporters of Barrera are promoting her other projects like "Your Monster" and "The Copenhagen Test" as alternatives to the new sequel.