Scream OG Star the Actor Fears He Could Spoil the Franchise with Scream 7.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a major gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters making a comeback.

"Coming back to a character you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard reveals.

A Triumphant Return for Fallen Characters

Reports have confirmed that three distinct characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The precise method of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a small cameo is a dream come true, though he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he got the offer from the series creator.

"I recall the phone call. I remember the pleasantries. I recall him posing the question. That instance is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the years since the 1996 movie premiered, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a part that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he explains. "A character that is now represented in each and every Scream mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling immense pressure about hoping not to be the one who ruins the popular franchise.

"It's either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I don't know if the movie's gonna work. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've definitely seen enough people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this trope?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Abound

While many dedicated fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Or, maybe they are somehow all alive in a bizarre communal situation. The possibility of a meta-horror narrative, reminiscent of classic genre films, also exists.

Audiences will discover the answer when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.