Ghostface Original Star the Actor Fears He Could Ruin the Franchise with Scream 7.

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks 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 aren't the only beloved characters making a comeback.

"Coming back to a role you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard admits.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Characters

It has been established that a trio of distinct characters from past films are set to return in this latest sequel, even though dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Fans should prepare for the reappearance of the endearing and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a brief appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the audience response. The performer vividly recalls the precise instant he got the offer from the series creator.

"I recall the phone call. I remember the pleasantries. I recall him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my mind," he says. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the years since the 1996 movie premiered, which left Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

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

The Fear of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved franchise.

"It's either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know if the film will be successful. 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 returning to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the franchise. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Anticipation Abound

While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a previous plot device. Or, maybe they are in some way all alive in a bizarre shared scenario. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by earlier genre films, also exists.

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