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

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a major family reunion. This latest installment signals the iconic comeback of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Coming back to a role you played in your twenties when you're 55 was a daunting task that kept me up at night," Lillard reveals.

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallon Characters

Reports have confirmed that three distinct characters from past films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, despite dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the reappearance of the beloved and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a small cameo is a dream come true, even if he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he got the news from the original writer.

"I recall the phone call. I recall the small talk. I recall him asking. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he says. "Therefore I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

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

"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, like it or not," he notes. "A character that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the final product. He admits to feeling significant pressure about not wanting to be the one who damages 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 have no idea if the movie's gonna work. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen enough 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 ruin the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Run High

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow all alive in a strange communal scenario. The chance of a self-referential story, inspired by classic genre films, also exists.

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