Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a massive family reunion. This new chapter marks the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a character you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a challenge that gave me sleepless nights," the actor reveals.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that three distinct characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, even though dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should prepare for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a small appearance is a dream come true, even if he is terrified about the audience response. The performer vividly recalls the precise instant he received the offer from the original writer.

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

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

"Truthfully, that's a part that is infamous, for better or worse," he notes. "A character that is now represented in each and every Scream mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fans

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved franchise.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I have no idea if the movie's be successful. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the series. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Run High

While countless dedicated fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others return remains. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, maybe they are in some way all alive in a bizarre communal situation. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, inspired by earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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