Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a major family reunion. This latest installment marks the iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a role you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor admits.

An Unexpected Return for Fallen Favorites

It has been established that three different characters from past films are slated to reappear in this new outing, even though dying in previous installments. The precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Fans should prepare for the return of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first occasion since a small appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he got the offer from the original writer.

"I recall the conversation. I remember the pleasantries. I recall him asking. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the years since the original film premiered, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a part that lives in infamy, like it or not," he explains. "A part that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."

The Fear of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling immense pressure about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved series.

"It's either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "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 certainly seen plenty of people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Anticipation Run High

While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others come back persists. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a bizarre communal situation. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also exists.

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