Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter signals the iconic comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a character you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," the actor admits.

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallon Characters

It has been established that a trio of different characters from past films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return is still unclear. Audiences should get ready for the return of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first occasion since a brief appearance is a dream come true, even if he is terrified about the audience response. The actor clearly remembers the precise instant he got the news from the series creator.

"I recall the phone call. I remember the small talk. I remember him posing the question. That moment 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 was released, which left Lillard feeling very nervous.

"The reality is, that's a part that lives in infamy, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the finished film. He admits to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting 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 points out. "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 idea?' 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 saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Excitement Abound

While countless dedicated fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow still living in a bizarre communal situation. The chance of a meta-horror narrative, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also exists.

Audiences will find out the truth when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.