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

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a massive family reunion. This new chapter signals the iconic comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a character you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard admits.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that three distinct characters from past films are set to return in this latest sequel, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The precise method of their return remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first occasion since a small cameo is a dream come true, though he is apprehensive about the audience response. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he received the offer from the series creator.

"I remember the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him posing the question. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

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

"The reality is, that's a role that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A part that is now represented in each and every Scream mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that production has concluded, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling significant pressure about hoping not 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. "Going into it, I don't know if the film will gonna work. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this trope?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of pressure to not mess up the franchise. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While many longtime 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 consciousness, like a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a strange communal situation. The chance of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also is on the table.

Audiences will find out the answer when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.