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

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a major gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

"Coming back to a character you portrayed in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that kept me up at night," the actor reveals.

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that three different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this new outing, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the return of the endearing and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first occasion since a brief cameo is a long-held wish, though he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he received the news from the original writer.

"I remember the phone call. I recall the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he states. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the decades since the 1996 movie was released, which made Lillard feeling very nervous.

"Truthfully, that's a part that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A character that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fans

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the finished film. He admits to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the beloved franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "At the start, I have no idea if the movie's be successful. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen enough people state 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 mess up the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Run High

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, similar to a prior storyline. Alternatively, maybe they are in some way all alive in a strange shared situation. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also exists.

Moviegoers will discover the answer when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.