Melissa Barrera is not ruling out another encounter with Ghostface forever, but she has drawn a firm line around who would have to control the Scream franchise before she would consider playing Sam Carpenter again.
Asked whether she could ever return to the horror series, Barrera gave an immediate answer. “Not with the company that currently holds the rights,” she said during a new interview with JustWatch.
That company is Spyglass Media Group, which removed Barrera from Scream 7 in November 2023 following social media posts she made about Palestinians and the Israel-Hamas war. Spyglass said at the time that it had “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form,” while Barrera rejected the characterization of her posts that led to her firing.
Nearly three years later, Barrera told TheWrap through remarks from the JustWatch interview that she still loves Scream and had “an amazing time” making the two films, but she does not see herself working with Spyglass again.
Barrera Says an Apology Would Not Change Her Decision
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Barrera played Sam Carpenter in 2022’s Scream and returned for Scream VI the following year. The films positioned Sam, the daughter of original killer Billy Loomis, at the center of a younger group of survivors alongside Jenna Ortega’s Tara, Mason Gooding’s Chad and Jasmin Savoy Brown’s Mindy.
Barrera said Spyglass leadership labeled her as something she says she is not and never apologized. She told JustWatch that she remains grateful for her experience making the films but separates those memories from her relationship with the company.
“Even with an apology, I wouldn’t go back to work with them,” she said, according to Entertainment Weekly.
There Is One Scenario That Could Bring Sam Carpenter Back
Barrera did leave one opening. If the rights to Scream eventually move away from Spyglass and into the hands of people she believes would honor Wes Craven’s legacy, she said she could imagine returning to the franchise.
Her comments put the condition on ownership rather than the character itself. Barrera has continued to speak positively about playing Sam and the experience she had making Scream and Scream VI.
Spyglass removed Barrera from the seventh movie in November 2023 after saying her social media posts crossed into antisemitism and hate speech. Barrera had used her accounts to discuss Palestinian civilians and Israeli military actions in Gaza. TheWrap reported at the time that her departure was not originally part of the plan for the next installment.
‘Scream 7’ Changed Direction After Barrera’s Exit
Barrera’s departure was followed by major changes to the seventh film. Ortega did not return as Tara Carpenter, and Christopher Landon, who had initially been hired to direct, also left the project.
Landon later revealed that the version he had agreed to make was centered on Barrera’s character. “The whole script was about her,” he said of Sam, explaining that the movie he had signed on to direct effectively disappeared after Barrera was fired.
The franchise ultimately shifted its focus back to Sidney Prescott. Neve Campbell, who had sat out Scream VI following a salary dispute, returned for Scream 7, while original Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson took over as director.
The finished film was released in February 2026 without Sam or Tara in the story. Barrera continued working outside the franchise, including roles in the horror comedy Abigail and Peacock’s The Copenhagen Test.