#michael boyle

Last November, Scream star Melissa Barrera was publicly let go from the franchise for speaking out against the genocide in Gaza. Nearly a year later, the fandom remains divided over how to approach these movies going forward. In our latest article, Michael Boyle reports on these divisions, and on some of the many ways the language around "toxic fans" gets even murkier when real-life politics are in the mix.

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We're continuing our wrap-up with September's piece: nearly a year after Scream star Melissa Barrera let go from the franchise after publicly supporting Palestine, Michael Boyle dug into the continuing fallout amongst fans, where Barrera's supporters were dismissed with "toxic fandom" language:

Many Scream 7 defenders seem unwilling to acknowledge that this is not just a regular fandom dispute: that some people’s love for their favorite shows and movies does indeed halt when major social and political issues are involved. Among those complaining about the “toxic Barrera fandom,” there’s an incredulity that the supposed haters could be genuinely motivated by outrage over an ongoing war, and the institutional backlash aimed towards anyone speaking out on it. 

In our most recent piece, Michael Boyle writes about the ongoing divisions in the Scream fandom nearly a year after star Melissa Barrera was fired for pro-Palestinian posts. While a portion of fans are boycotting the franchise, others are weaponizing "toxic fan" language and fandom-longevity gatekeeping in their opposition.