Christopher Landon, known for directing “Happy Death Day” and “Freaky,” has opened up about his departure from the director`s chair for “Scream 7.” He explained that he faced death threats after being wrongly accused of being behind Melissa Barrera`s firing from the film.
In an interview, Landon shared the severity of the threats, stating, “People threatened to kill me and my family. I received messages saying, `I will find your children, and I will kill them because you support the killing of children.` Studio security and the FBI investigated these threats. They were very aggressive and frightening.”
He clarified his role in Barrera`s dismissal: “I did not fire her. Many people believe it was my fault, but I had nothing to do with it. I had absolutely no influence on the situation. I believe it`s because people don`t fully understand how Hollywood works and its hierarchy. Fans simply targeted me as the one to blame and lashed out with threats.”
Melissa Barrera was indeed fired from “Scream 7” by the studio in November 2023 due to her pro-Palestine social media posts. Shortly after, Jenna Ortega also announced her exit. While initially, Ortega`s departure was attributed to scheduling conflicts, she later admitted in April 2025 that she left in support of Barrera. Landon ultimately left the project in December 2023, expressing on social media that his “dream job had turned into a nightmare.”
Finley Holt