Protestors Gather at ‘Scream 7’ Premiere After Melissa Barrera Fired

Variety

by Jack Dunn

February 26, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Protesters gathered outside the "Scream 7" premiere in Los Angeles to voice support for Palestine, calling for a boycott of the horror film. Demonstrators, armed with flags, drums, and bullhorns, chanted slogans like “Palestine will live forever!” in response to the firing of actress Melissa Barrera, who had criticized Israel's actions during the recent conflict with Hamas. The director, Kevin Williamson, acknowledged the protesters' concerns but questioned the effectiveness of boycotting Paramount+ as a form of protest. The controversy stems from Barrera's Instagram posts, where she harshly criticized Israel, accusing the nation of "genocide and ethnic cleansing" and sharing content from Jewish Currents Magazine that(distorted) Holocaust imagery. This led Spyglass Media Group to remove her from the film, citing zero tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech. The decision sparked further backlash, with co-star Jenna Ortega and director Christopher Landon exiting the project due to scheduling conflicts and death threats. The script was rewritten, shifting focus to Neve Campbell's character, Sidney Prescott, as the lead. The film now follows her return to Woodsboro, where Ghostface returns to wreak havoc. Despite the changes, "Scream 7"

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Originally published on Variety on 2/26/2026