Paramount Studios rolled out the red carpet for their upcoming horror sequel “Scream 7” on Wednesday, only to be disrupted by pro-Palestine protesters.
The iconic studio lot on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood hosted the premiere, with several protesters arriving with signs outside the lot in protest.
One of the signs read, “Cancel Paramount +” while another sign read, “Paramount has a blacklist of actors who criticize Israel,” with others supporting former Scream star Melissa Barrera, who was fired in 2023 for her support of Palestine.
The second sign was referring to a November report in Variety that revealed the studio kept a list of actors and actresses they deemed to be, “overly antisemitic,” “xenophobic,” or “homophobic.”
A Deadline report added that the protest was organized by Entertainment Labor for Palestine, CODEPINK LA, Musicians for Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace-Los Angeles.
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CODEPINK LA issued a statement revealing the protest was meant to call, “attention to the industry’s widespread silencing of pro-Palestinian voices and its whitewashing of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
The protest also comes more than two years after actress Melissa Barrera was fired from “Scream 7” for her pro-Palestine social media posts.
Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and Israel’s counter-attacks on the Gaza Strip, Barrera accused Israel of, “genocide and ethnic cleansing.”
Spyglass Entertainment, which produces the “Scream” franchise, swiftly cut ties with Barrera, after she played Samantha Carpenter in 2022’s “Scream V” and 2023’s “Scream VI.”
“Scream 7” director Christopher Landon also left the project after Barrera’s firing, with “Scream V” and “Scream VI” star Jenna Ortega also departing the project as well.
Original “Scream” screenwriter Kevin Williamson then came aboard to direct, working from a screenplay he co-wrote with Guy Busick, from a story by Busick and James Vanderbilt.
The film brings back original “Scream” stars Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, Courteney Cox and Gale Weathers, and features the long-awaited return of Matthew Lillard as one of the original killers, Stu Macher.
It also brings back “Scream VI” star Mason Gooding along with franchise newcomers Anna Camp, Joel McHale, McKenna Grace and Ethan Embry.
“Scream 7” hits theaters on Friday, and is projected to take in between $40 million and $55 million during its domestic box office debut.
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