'Scream 7' premiere targeted by anti-Israel protesters after actress dropped over controversial posts
Anti-Israel protesters arrived at the "Scream 7" premiere in Los Angeles calling for a boycott of the film on Wednesday after an actress was dropped from the movie over social media posts.
The demonstrators were shouting "Paramount, Paramount, what do you say?" and "Palestine will live forever," according to Variety.
Actress Melissa Barrera was dropped in 2023 following a series of Instagram Story posts that insisted Israel was committing "genocide" and suggested the media only shows the "Israeli side." While Barrera was not yet confirmed for "Scream 7," the latest in the ongoing slasher film series, Variety reported at the time that sources said she was already dropped from the movie due to her posts following the October 7 Hamas terror attacks.
Deadline reported that signs at the protest read, "Paramount has a BLACKLIST of actors who criticize Israel," and others said, "Cancel Paramount+."
The outlet posted videos of the protests, as well as photos showing the signs on X.
Kevin Williamson, the director for "Scream 7," addressed the protest in remarks to Variety.
"We live in a world where a lot of bad things are happening out there, and I think a lot of people want to be heard, and they want to have their voice heard about the bad stuff that’s happening," Williamson said, according to the outlet. "My heart goes out to them. I don’t know if canceling Paramount+ is the way to do it. But I think people should listen to their inner self and do what feels good for them."
"Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech," a Spyglass spokesperson previously told Variety.
One of Barrera's multiple posts on the war read, "Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp. Cornering everyone together, with no where to go, no electricity no water … People have [learned] nothing from our histories. And just like our histories, people are still silently watching it all happen. THIS IS GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING."
In another, she suggested that social media and Western media only show the Israeli side of the war in an act of censorship.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
"I have been actively looking for videos and information about the Palestinian side for the last 2 weeks or so, following accounts etc. Why? Because western media only shows the other side. Why they do that, I will let you deduce for yourself," the post read.
It continued, "Usually, the algorithm on social media gets the gist. Well … My discover page on IG will ONLY show me videos showing and talking about the Israeli side. Censorship is very real. Palestinians know this, they know the world has been trying to make them invisible for decades. Keep sharing."
Christopher Landon, who was set to direct the film but ultimately exited the project, revealed in April 2025 that he received death threats while working on "Scream 7" after Barrera was dropped.
Landon described the intense "hate and abuse" he faced after Barrera’s firing as the main reason in comments to Vanity Fair.
"People were threatening to kill me and my family, to the point where the FBI was getting involved," Landon told Vanity Fair. "I got messages saying, ‘I’m going to find your kids, and I’m going to kill them because you support child murder.’"
He added, "The head of security at various studios and the FBI had to examine the threats. It was highly aggressive and really scary."
Fox News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.