Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Franchise with Scream 7.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a character you portrayed in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that kept me up at night," the actor admits.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Characters

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, despite dying in prior movies. The precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the return of the endearing and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first occasion since a brief cameo is a dream come true, even if he is terrified about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he got the offer from the original writer.

"I remember the phone call. I recall the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "Therefore 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 quite trepidatious.

"The reality is, that's a role that lives in infamy, like it or not," he notes. "A character that is now represented in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the beloved franchise.

"The outcome is either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "At the start, I have no idea if the film will be successful. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the series. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Anticipation Run High

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow still living in a bizarre communal scenario. The possibility of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of classic genre films, also exists.

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