Ever since 2022’s Scream reignited the horror fandom and pulled the franchise back from the shadows, the long-standing slasher franchise has remained in the hearts and minds of die-hards around the world. Of course, this success further skyrocketed after Scream VI’s triumph earlier this year, which saw stars like Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega return. And while Barrera is likely set to return for Scream 7, Ortega’s lengthy schedule is here to suggest that her return just isn’t as likely.

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Over on Twitter, the rumor mill is alive and well after a tweet has been passed around in regard to the possibility of Jenna Ortega not returning to the franchise for its seventh installment. As to be expected, this possibility is due to Ortega’s insanely busy schedule — with the 20-year-old actress in high demand as projects such as Beetlejuice 2 and the second season of Wednesday keep her preoccupied.

RUMOUR: Due to Jenna Ortega’s schedule as an actress in demand, Paramount/Spyglass are allegedly in talks to move on without the actress in #SCREAM 7.

What do you guys think? Will Jenna reprise her role as Tara Carpenter again?

— tristan (@britneyvinyl) May 10, 2023

And while there’s no discrediting Ortega’s Scream success and how significant her character Tara Carpenter truly is, it feels borderline ridiculous to suggest that the franchise wouldn’t stay afloat without her. Taking a step back, both Tara and her sister Sam (Barrera) are instrumental in the franchise’s modern-day success, where the two sisters are commonly stalked by Ghostface. So it’s worth noting that if Ortega does indeed make an exit, then Barrera will be right there to take center stage.

But the truth of the matter is, I’m not worried about the franchise’s future, and you shouldn’t be, either. As previously mentioned, having Scream 7 without Ortega would simply allow writers to focus on Sam and the rest of the Core 4 group. In addition, rumors have been circulating that Neve Campbell will likely make a return for the seventh chapter — meaning that Sam Carpenter and Sidney Prescott could team up for an unforgettable slasher brawl. Plus, let’s not forget the golden opportunity for Matthew Lillard’s Stu Macher to make a special appearance.