Ghostface Original Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Ruin the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a major family reunion. This latest installment signals the iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters making a comeback.

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

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that a trio of distinct characters from past films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first time since a brief cameo is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he got the news from the original writer.

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

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the years since the original film was released, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"The reality is, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he explains. "A character that is now represented in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every October 31st."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fans

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

"It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "At the start, I have no idea if the film will gonna work. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen enough people come out 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 ruin the franchise. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Abound

While many dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others return remains. Perhaps they exist as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a strange communal situation. The possibility of a self-referential story, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also exists.

Audiences will find out the answer when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.