It Wasn’t About the Money — This Is Why Jenna Ortega Isn’t in 'Scream 7'

Playing the role of Tara Carpenter, the younger sister of Sam Carpenter, fans have loved watching Jenna Ortega expand her range as an actor in the Scream franchise. She’s appeared in two films so far, Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023). So, when Scream 7 was announced with a release date set for Feb. 27, 2026, many naturally assumed Jenna would be returning to reprise her role. But she isn’t.

While it’s exciting to hear that Courteney Cox and Neve Campbell will be appearing in Scream 7, fans can’t help but wonder why Jenna won’t be joining them this time around. Well, here’s the reason she gave.

Contrary to popular belief, Jenna Ortega says her decision not to return for Scream 7 had nothing to do with money, contract issues, or scheduling conflicts. Instead, she had a much deeper reason for stepping away from the franchise.

During her May 2025 interview with The Cut, where she appeared on the cover rocking a barely-there brow, Jenna explained that there were too many behind-the-scenes changes with Scream 7, and ultimately, she only wanted to stay involved if the original creative team remained in place. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

For starters, Melissa Barrera, who played Jenna’s on-screen sister Sam, was fired by Scream producer Spyglass Media Group over comments she made about the Israel-Hamas war on social media. Soon after, directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin also exited the film.

With so many changes, Jenna felt it was best to also walk away. “The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart,” Jenna told The Cut. “If Scream VII wasn’t going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn’t seem like the right move for me in my career at the time.”

To be clear, the directors had already left the project before Jenna decided to step away, so her choice wasn’t solely about Melissa’s firing.

She also clarified, “It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling.” Of course, it was probably a hard decision for Jenna to make, especially since she’s become such a staple in the franchise, but when major changes happen with both the cast and directing crew, it can completely shift the feel of a project. It’s similar to how many fans felt about Netflix’s The Crown when the original cast from Seasons 1 and 2 was replaced with entirely new faces starting in Season 3.

Aside from Neve Campbell reprising her role as Sidney Prescott and Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers, Ghostface is expected to have plenty of screen time in Scream 7. In the trailer, the killer makes it clear they’re not hiding anymore.

Isabel May will also join the cast as Sidney’s daughter, and Michaela Randolph is set to appear in the film as well. According to The Hollywood Reporter, David Arquette, who played Dewey Riley throughout the franchise, is also rumored to return, even though fans watched his character die in Scream (2022).

Needless to say, there will still be plenty of screams even without Jenna, though fans will definitely be missing her.