The upcoming slasher film Scream VII appears to be in development hell now that director Christopher Landon has dropped the project.
On Saturday, the 48-year-old filmmaker formally announced on X that he left Scream VII two months before. “I guess now is as good a time as any to announce I formally exited Scream 7 weeks ago. This will disappoint some and delight others. It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But it’s time to move on,” Landon wrote, timing his testimony less than a week before the end of 2023.
He continued, “I have nothing more to add to the conversation other than I hope Wes’ legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world. What he and Kevin created is something amazing and I was honored to have even the briefest moment basking in their glow.”
Scream VII would have been Landon's first installment as part of the franchise. He becomes the third person to no longer be a part of the Scream series, after Jenna Ortega, who left last month due to scheduling conflicts, and Melissa Barrera, who was fired because of making comments in support of Palestinians.
After Barrera's firing, Landon went to X and clarified that it wasn't his choice. "Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make," he posted.
James Vanderbilt, who co-wrote the rebooted Scream series, is reportedly centering Barrera's former character of Sam Carpenter in Scream VII, although new details about the plot have not been announced.