Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Spoil the Series 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 major gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the iconic return of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a character you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard reveals.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that three distinct characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, even though meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return is still unclear. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and seemingly immortal cop 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 Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a small cameo is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the audience response. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he got the news from the original writer.

"I recall the conversation. I remember the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he states. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has attained cult status in the decades since the 1996 movie was released, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a part that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Scream mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that production has concluded, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the finished film. He admits to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who damages the beloved 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 have no idea if the film will be successful. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the franchise. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others come back persists. Maybe they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow still living in a strange shared scenario. The possibility of a meta-horror narrative, inspired by earlier genre films, also is on the table.

Audiences will discover the answer when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.