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

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a massive family reunion. This latest installment signals the iconic comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out 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 making a comeback.

"Coming back to a role you played in your mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," the actor reveals.

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallen Characters

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 precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a brief appearance is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he got the news from the original writer.

"I recall the conversation. I remember the small talk. I remember him asking. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

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

"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he notes. "A character that is now represented in every single Scream mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the finished film. He admits to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who damages the beloved franchise.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know if the film will gonna work. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not mess up the franchise. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Abound

While countless dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they live as manifestations in Sidney's mind, similar to a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a strange communal situation. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, inspired by earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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