Hold on to your ghost-hunting gadgets because Jenna Ortega won’t be making a comeback in Scream VII. I know, I know—cue the dramatic gasps and spooky background music.
So, why won’t our 21-year-old scream queen be gracing the silver screen as Tara Carpenter? Well, it’s not because she stumbled upon a ghostly parallel universe or got lost in the labyrinth of horror movie clichés. Nope, it’s all about her jam-packed schedule for the Netflix sensation, Wednesday. Deadline spilled the beans, and it turns out Jenna’s gotta prioritize her Netflix gig over the next screamfest. Who knew fighting supernatural forces could be so time-consuming?
And before you start weaving conspiracy theories, let me set the record straight. Jenna’s exit isn’t a fallout aftermath from Melissa Barrera’s recent departure, and it’s definitely not because Jenna wanted to break up with her Scream contract. This decision was in the works way before the actors threatened a strike, making it the prequel to the prequel. Talk about a plot twist!
Get ready for an Irish invasion because Jenna’s jetting off to the emerald isle in April to shoot the second season of Wednesday. Summer in Ireland, anyone? Maybe she’ll be sipping on some ghostly Guinness while battling supernatural beings. And just to make things more interesting, Beetlejuice (yeah, the one with the guy in the striped suit) decided it needed a few extra days of shooting to hit that Labor Day 2024 deadline. I guess even the afterlife has tight production schedules.
In a twist that’s more jaw-dropping than a ghostly possession, Jenna’s on-screen sister, played by someone who’s not a fan of subtlety on social media, got the boot from Scream VII. Apparently, posting about Israel-Palestine on social media isn’t the best way to stay in a horror movie. Who knew horror and geopolitics didn’t mix like peanut butter and jelly?
And if you’re eagerly waiting for the Scream VII script to drop, hold your ectoplasmic horses because it’s not ready yet. Maybe the ghosts are on strike, demanding better spectral representation in Hollywood. Who can blame them?
Jenna Ortega is bidding adieu to the Scream franchise, heading to Ireland for some Netflix shenanigans, and leaving us with more questions than answers about the upcoming screamfest. Stay tuned for the next spine-tingling episode of “As the Horror World Turns.”