Scream OG Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the iconic return of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a role you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," Lillard admits.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallon Characters

It has been established that a trio of different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The precise method of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first occasion since a small appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he received the offer from the series creator.

"I remember the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him posing the question. That moment is permanently etched 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 premiered, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he notes. "A character that is now embodied in every single Scream mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the finished film. He admits to feeling significant pressure about hoping not to be the one who ruins the beloved franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "At the start, I don't know if the film will gonna work. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the series. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Run High

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a strange shared scenario. The chance of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also exists.

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