Ghostface OG Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Series 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 major family reunion. This latest installment signals the legendary return 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 returning to the fray.

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

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Characters

Reports have confirmed that a trio of distinct characters from past films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite dying in prior movies. The precise method of their return is still unclear. Audiences should prepare for the return of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first time since a brief cameo is a dream come true, even if he is apprehensive about the audience response. The actor clearly remembers the precise instant he received the offer from the series creator.

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

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the decades since the 1996 movie premiered, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

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

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fans

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the finished film. He admits to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the popular series.

"The outcome is either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I have no idea if the movie's be successful. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of people come out 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 mess up the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others come back persists. Perhaps they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a strange shared situation. The possibility of a meta-horror narrative, reminiscent of classic horror movies, also exists.

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