Image courtesy of Deadline
Lincoln University, PA-With horror movies dominating the 2026 award season so far, many are wondering when the genre is going to be taken seriously amongst fans and other award shows. And they just might, but not because of its production or thrilling storytelling. There’s a deeper reason the genre is being talked about, and it has everything to do with the ongoing political nature of our nation.
Whether you’re a fan of horror or not, everyone is well aware of one of the most unhinged, taunting masked villains in this horrifying genre—Ghostface. As gruesome, unpredictable, and human as the cloaked figure may appear in the franchise, Scream, recent discussions on the new film, Scream 7, have elicited mixed emotions from the general public.
It all started in November 2023 when the lead actress of Scream and Scream VI, Melissa Barrera, was fired. Barrera went to her social media with pro-Palestine posts, describing the war in Gaza as a “genocide and ethnic cleansing,” calling for a ceasefire, and a peaceful coexistence. The production company behind Scream 7, Spyglass Media Group, released Barrera from her role (Sam Carpenter) due to her posts, claiming they were “false references to genocide.”
Barrera’s release caused a ripple effect, leading to director Christopher Landon and Jenna Ortega parting from the movie as well. Although Landon’s reason for leaving was due to there not being a movie anymore in his eyes, Ortega’s departure was in support of her co-star, Barrera. Also, in solidarity with the racist censorship and firing of Barrera, users on X (formerly known as Twitter) created a hashtag, #BoycottScream7.
Screenshot courtesy of @OoXLR8oO on X
Script rewrites caused the delay of the movie release and led to previous Scream actors to rephrase their roles, such as Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, Courtney Cox as Gale Weathers, and an AI flashback version of Matthew Lillard, the first Ghostface, Stu Macher.
Scream 7 was released in theaters on February 27, 2026. Despite protesters showing up outside theaters and an ongoing hashtag encouraging people not to see the film, the movie received its highest box office opening with $64.1 million. It’s the biggest opening night for the Scream franchise.
Screenshot courtesy of @Variety on X
Many fans are split regarding the movie. Some are sticking to their decision to boycott and admitting to how terrible it was, while others make fun of the boycotters because of the success.
Screenshot courtesy of @fearqueerhorror on X
Screenshot courtesy of @rendy_jones on X
