Ghostface OG Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a massive family reunion. This latest installment marks the legendary 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 won't be the only beloved characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a character you portrayed in your twenties when you're 55 was a daunting task that kept me up at night," the actor admits.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that a trio of distinct characters from past films are set to return in this new outing, despite dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first occasion since a brief cameo is a long-held wish, even if he is apprehensive about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he received the news from the series creator.

"I recall the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him asking. That instance 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 achieved iconic status in the decades since the original film was released, which made Lillard feeling very nervous.

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

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is waiting 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.

"The outcome is either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I don't know if the film will be successful. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people come out 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 mess up the franchise. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Abound

While many 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. Or, perhaps they are in some way still living in a bizarre shared situation. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, inspired by earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

Audiences will find out the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.