10 Must-Watch Jenna Ortega Movies & Shows While Anticipating Wednesday Season 2

Summary

Jenna Ortega has become a rising star in the horror genre with her breakout roles in

Scream

and

Wednesday

, establishing herself as a modern Hollywood Scream Queen.

Ortega's upcoming movies, such as

Beetlejuice 2

and

Scream 7

, may already be released by the time

Wednesday

season 2 premieres, adding to her already impressive resume.

Alongside her horror roles, Ortega has also showcased her talent in other genres, including psychological thriller series

You

and the dramatic film

The Fallout

.

Ahead of the arrival of Wednesday season 2, Jenna Ortega has an impressive lineup of movie and TV show roles that will keep fans eagerly awaiting her return to The Addams Family. Although she has been part of various films and series in the past, Ortega gained recognition for her breakout performance as Wednesday Addams in Netflix's Wednesday, which premiered in 2022. This role, along with her involvement in two major horror franchises, solidifies her status as one of Hollywood's prominent modern Scream Queens.

While the release date for Wednesday season 2 is yet to be announced, it is expected to come out in late 2024, potentially over a year from now. In the meantime, Ortega's highly anticipated films Beetlejuice 2 and Scream 7 may have already hit the screens, although her role in the latter remains unconfirmed. To keep audiences satisfied until Wednesday's return, Ortega has starred in various movies and TV shows that offer a similar mix of horror, suspense, thrillers, and teen dramas.

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7 Scream (2022)

Jenna Ortega made her mark in the realm of mainstream horror franchises with the highly anticipated reboot, Scream (2022), which pays homage to Wes Craven's beloved slasher series. In this R-rated horror film, Ortega takes on the role of Tara Carpenter, a resident of Woodsboro who becomes the prime target of the notorious Ghostface killer. Despite spending a substantial portion of the movie in the hospital recuperating from her injuries, Tara's character remains pivotal to the spine-chilling storyline, as her closest friends and her older sister, Sam Carpenter (played by Melissa Barrera), struggle to survive the latest Ghostface massacre. Having premiered several months prior to the premiere of Wednesday season 1 in 2022, the box office hit Scream (2022) served as an exceptionally promising start and conclusion to Ortega's year.

6 Scream VI

Ortega's role in Scream (2022) was important, but it became even more substantial in the sequel, Scream 6, which premiered in March 2023. Following the success of Tim Burton's Wednesday, Ortega's performance in the slasher satire received praise from both critics and audiences. In Scream 6, her character Tara had a deeper storyline and more action-packed screen time. Ortega took on both acting and behind-the-scenes roles as she battled Ghostface at a college in New York City.

While Scream 7 now has a new director, Paramount has not yet confirmed whether Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega will be returning for the highly anticipated sequel. However, it is expected that the lead actresses from the Scream reboot will reprise their celebrated roles, potentially giving Ortega another box office hit in her third consecutive year since 2022. With Ortega's rising popularity from her other horror and drama projects, it is possible that Tara Carpenter will have an even more significant role in the storyline of Scream 7.

5 X

Premiering shortly after Scream (2022), Jenna Ortega had a prominent role in Ti West’s 2022 slasher film X. Set in 1979, the A24 horror movie follows Ortega's character, Lorraine Day, as she joins Mia Goth's Maxine and their group in creating a graphic film at a remote Texas farm. However, just like in Ortega's other horror roles, the young adults become targets of the farm's elderly owner, Pearl, leading to shocking and unexpected twists in the slasher movie. With her casting in Scream (2022) and Wednesday, Jenna Ortega completes her unofficial 2022 horror trilogy with the critically acclaimed movie X.

X is the first installment in Ti West's X trilogy, alongside the prequel Pearl (2022) and the upcoming sequel MaXXXine. The sequel will focus on Maxine's pursuit of an acting career after being the only survivor of the farm massacre, suggesting that Lorraine, portrayed by Ortega, will not appear. However, it is possible that she may make a comeback in a flashback to the night of the horrifying events depicted in X.

4 Studio 666

Wednesday, Scream, and X weren’t the only horror projects that Jenna Ortega was featured in during 2022, as the actress also secured a role in Studio 666, the Foo Fighters' horror comedy. In this highly anticipated film, Ortega portrays Skye Willow, the talented drummer of a heavy metal band who becomes the target of the group's frontman's attack in 1993. Despite the brevity of her appearance in Studio 666, Ortega's casting was a stroke of brilliance as her reputation as a Scream Queen continues to grow. Whether it's the iconic Scream franchise or a slasher film with the Foo Fighters, Ortega's horror movie characters consistently display remarkable resilience by fighting back against ruthless killers.

3 You

Prior to her involvement in the Scream and Addams Family franchises, Jenna Ortega made her debut in Netflix's popular psychological thriller series You during its second season in 2018. Ortega portrayed the character of Ellie Alves, a no-nonsense teenage neighbor of the secretive serial killer, Joe Goldberg. Interestingly, Ellie manages to survive the events of You season 2, defying the odds by getting close to Joe and Love without suffering any fatal consequences. However, Ellie's journey concludes at the end of season 2, leaving her ultimate fate shrouded in mystery. Although there remains a possibility of Jenna Ortega reprising her role for the series finale of You season 5, given her association with Netflix's Wednesday, it appears that Ellie's story has come to a definitive end.

2 The Fallout

1 The Babysitter: Killer Queen

While Wednesday primarily focuses on horror, mystery, and supernatural elements, it also falls under the genre of teen drama. Prior to her role in Wednesday, Jenna Ortega showcased her talent in the 2021 HBO Max drama film The Fallout, where she played the character of Vada Cavell. Vada is a teenager who experiences emotional trauma after a school shooting. In this film, Ortega demonstrates her exceptional acting skills as she delves into deeply emotional subject matter. Her portrayal has been widely praised for its powerful and empathetic performance, particularly in the complex ending of The Fallout. While Ortega is known for her roles in horror, thriller, and comedy genres, The Fallout stands out as a remarkable display of her versatile talents in different genres.

Before landing her role in Wednesday, Ortega had previously been cast in Netflix’s 2020 teen slasher movie The Babysitter: Killer Queen. This film is a sequel to the 2017 black comedy slasher, The Babysitter. In The Babysitter: Killer Queen, Jenna Ortega joins forces with Judah Lewis’ character, Cole Johnson, to fight against a murderous cult. Samara Weaving, known for her appearance in the iconic opening sequence of Scream 6, also stars in this Netflix horror movie. Although The Babysitter: Killer Queen received mixed reviews, it served as an early indication of Jenna Ortega's success in the slasher horror genre. This success would continue with her fruitful collaborations with Netflix, ultimately leading to her casting in Wednesday.