Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a role you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor admits.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that three distinct characters from past films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Fans should prepare for the return of the endearing and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first occasion since a brief cameo is a dream come true, though he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The actor vividly recalls the exact moment he received the news from the series creator.

"I recall the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my psyche," he says. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

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

"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A character that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that production has concluded, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the finished film. He admits 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 observes. "Going into it, I have no idea if the movie's gonna work. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've certainly seen enough people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the franchise. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Excitement Run High

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return remains. Maybe they exist as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a strange communal situation. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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