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 gearing up for a massive family reunion. This new chapter marks the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a character you played in your mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," Lillard reveals.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Characters

It has been established that a trio of different characters from past films are set to return in this latest sequel, even though dying in previous installments. The precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the return of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film killer 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 brief cameo is a dream come true, even if he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he received the offer from the original writer.

"I remember the phone call. I remember the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my mind," he states. "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 was released, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"The reality is, that's a role that lives in infamy, like it or not," he explains. "A part that is now represented in every single Scream mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting 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 fail," Lillard points out. "At the start, I don't know if the film will be successful. I don't know if people want 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 mess up the series. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others come back remains. Maybe they exist rent-free in Sidney's mind, similar to a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a bizarre communal scenario. The possibility of a meta-horror narrative, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also exists.

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