Melissa Barrera isn’t holding back when it comes to Scream 7, Paramount, or the cast members who returned after her firing.
In a new interview with Variety, Barrera took aim at the sequel’s reported box office success, saying she doesn’t believe the numbers being pushed for the movie.
According to Box Office Mojo, Scream 7 has brought in $207.5 million worldwide, which puts it ahead of 2023’s Scream VI by more than $40 million. On paper, that makes the movie a major hit for Paramount.
However, Barrera isn’t buying it.
Melissa Barrera Says She Thinks The Numbers Are Fake
When Variety brought up Scream 7 and said, “let’s be real: the seventh one sucked,” Barrera agreed and questioned the box office.
“I know. And I think they lied about the numbers. I don’t think it made that much money,” Barrera said.
She added that the franchise is still a part of her life, saying fans continue to bring Scream items for her to sign while she performs on stage in plays.
“But at the stage door, I sign Scream things every night,” she said. “People who love me from those movies are coming to see the show, and they can’t ever take that away from me.”
Barrera did not offer proof that the numbers were inflated. The official box office reporting has Scream 7 as the highest-grossing movie in the franchise, not adjusted for inflation.
Barrera Calls Out The Returning Scream Cast
Barrera was fired from Scream 7 in 2023 over social media posts about Israel and Palestine. Jenna Ortega later exited the movie, and director Christopher Landon also dropped out.
The film was reworked, with the sequel bringing back legacy Scream actors, including Neve Campbell, who had skipped Scream VI over a pay dispute.
Variety asked Barrera if the returning cast members seemed “scabby” and if it felt like they were “basically crossing the picket line.”
Barrera didn’t dodge the question.
“Oh, one hundred percent,” she said. “I think they all are. And they have to live with that.”
She also said the only way the studio was able to make the movie after the fallout was by leaning into nostalgia.
“The only way they were able to make that movie after what happened was to nostalgia-bait as much as possible,” Barrera said.
Barrera Wants To Work With Pro-Palestine Actors
Later in the interview, Barrera said she now keeps track of the people who supported her after the Scream fallout.
“I have lists of all the people I want to work with,” she said.
She added that her list includes “basically anyone pro-Palestine,” and named people who defended her at the time.
“Susan Sarandon. Tatiana Maslany. Hannah Einbinder. Poppy Liu,” Barrera said. “Obviously, Javier Bardem would be a dream to work with. He doesn’t need me to give him any opportunities. But yes, I have lists. I do believe in building a network of people who are like-minded. And for me, this is Chapter 2.”
The Scream Fallout Isn’t Over
Scream 7 may have made big money, but the behind-the-scenes drama clearly hasn’t gone away.
Paramount got their hit. Barrera still has the fan support from her time in the franchise. But her latest comments make it clear there is still plenty of bad blood over how the sequel came together after her firing.
