Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Spoil the Franchise with Scream 7.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

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

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Characters

It has been established that a trio of different characters from earlier films are set to return in this latest sequel, despite dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a small appearance is a long-held wish, even if he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The performer vividly recalls the precise instant he received the offer from the series creator.

"I recall the conversation. I recall the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the decades since the original film premiered, which left Lillard feeling quite 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 Scream mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fans

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the popular franchise.

"It's 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 movie's gonna work. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the franchise. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Run High

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Maybe they exist rent-free in Sidney's mind, similar to a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a bizarre communal scenario. The chance of a meta-horror narrative, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also exists.

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