Ghostface Original Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a major family reunion. This new chapter signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

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

A Triumphant Return for Fallen Characters

It has been established that three distinct characters from past films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic 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 apprehensive about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he received the news from the original writer.

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

Stu Macher has achieved cult status in the years since the original film premiered, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he explains. "A part that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting to be the one who damages the popular franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I don't know if the film will gonna work. I don't know if people want to see me. I've definitely 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 don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Abound

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others come back remains. Maybe they live as manifestations in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow still living in a bizarre shared scenario. The possibility of a self-referential story, inspired by classic genre films, also exists.

Moviegoers will find out the answer when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.