{
  "id": 12473294,
  "title": "Skeet Ulrich says Melissa Barrera's Scream firing halted Billy's 3-film arc",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/skeet-ulrich-says-melissa-barreras-scream-firing-halted-billys-3-film",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-06T19:28:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The A.V. Club",
    "slug": "the-a-v-club",
    "url": "https://www.avclub.com/skeet-ulrich-melissa-barrera-scream-firing-3-film-arc"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Skeet Ulrich has revealed that the recent firing of Melissa Barrera from the Scream franchise has put an end to the planned three-film arc involving the character Billy Loomis. According to Ulrich, \"Without Melissa Barrera and Sam Loomis, there's no Billy Loomis.\" Barrera played the role of Billy's illegitimate daughter, Sam Carpenter, in the 2022 film Scream. She returned for the subsequent installment, Scream VI, which was praised for her performance. However, Barrera was abruptly removed from the franchise in 2023 following pro-Palestinian statements she made on social media. This led to Spyglass Media cutting her ties with the series. Despite this, the Scream franchise managed to retain Jenna Ortega, who also left the franchise after Barrera's dismissal. The franchise managed to secure funding for Neve Campbell to return as Sidney in Scream 7. However, Matthew Lillard, who played Stu, expressed regret over his return due to the events surrounding Barrera's exit. The character of Billy, portrayed by Ulrich, appeared in Scream and Scream VI as Sam's hallucinations. But without Barrera's Sam, it seems Billy's journey within the Scream franchise has come to a close, much like Billy's life.",
  "summary": "\"Without Melissa Barrera and Sam Loomis, there's no Billy Loomis,\" he said.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "TheWrap",
        "title": "Skeet Ulrich Explains Why He Can’t Finish His 3-Film ‘Scream’ Arc After Melissa Barrera Firing",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/skeet-ulrich-explains-why-he-cant-finish-his-3-film-scream-arc-after",
        "published": "2026-10-06T19:10:09.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}