Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Franchise with Scream 7.

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a massive 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 journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

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

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallon Characters

It has been established that three distinct characters from past films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite dying 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 officer Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first occasion since a small cameo is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he got the news from the original writer.

"I remember the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That moment is permanently etched on my mind," he states. "Therefore I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has attained cult status in the decades since the original film was released, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

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

The Fear of Disappointing the Fans

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He admits to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the popular franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know if the film will be successful. I don't know 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 series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Abound

While countless dedicated fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Perhaps they exist rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way still living in a bizarre communal situation. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by classic genre films, also exists.

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