Ghostface OG Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a massive family reunion. This latest installment signals the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

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

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Characters

Reports have confirmed that three distinct characters from earlier films are set to return in this latest sequel, despite meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a brief appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he got the offer from the original writer.

"I remember the phone call. I remember the small talk. I remember him posing the question. That instance is permanently etched on my mind," he states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has attained cult status in the years since the original film premiered, which left Lillard feeling very nervous.

"The reality is, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he notes. "A character that is now embodied in every single Scream mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He admits to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the popular series.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "At the start, I have no idea if the film will gonna work. I don't know if people want to see me. I've definitely seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of pressure to not mess up the series. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return remains. Perhaps they exist rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow still living in a bizarre shared situation. The chance of a meta-horror narrative, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also exists.

Audiences will discover the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.