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

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the iconic return of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

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

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this latest sequel, despite meeting their demise in previous installments. The precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a small cameo is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he received the news from the series creator.

"I remember the phone call. I remember the pleasantries. I recall him posing the question. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has attained 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 embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant pressure about hoping not to be the one who ruins the popular franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know 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 trope?' 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 cause.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While many dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others return remains. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, similar to a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a strange shared situation. The chance of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of classic horror movies, also exists.

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