Scream OG Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Spoil the Series 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 major family reunion. This latest installment signals the iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl 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 fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

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

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallon Characters

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this new outing, even though dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should prepare for the return of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer 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 series for the first time since a brief appearance is a long-held wish, even if he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he got the news from the original writer.

"I recall the phone call. I recall the small talk. I remember him posing the question. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he says. "So 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 premiered, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"The reality is, that's a part that is infamous, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety 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 confesses to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting to be the one who damages the beloved series.

"It's either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I don't know if the movie's gonna work. I don't know if people want 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 series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others come back persists. Perhaps they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Or, maybe they are in some way still living in a bizarre communal situation. The chance of a meta-horror narrative, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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