Ghostface OG Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Series with Scream 7.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the legendary return 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 fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a role you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," Lillard reveals.

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallen Favorites

Reports have confirmed that three distinct characters from past films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, despite dying in previous installments. The precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first time since a small cameo is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he got the news from the original writer.

"I remember the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him posing the question. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he states. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved cult status in the decades since the original film was released, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a part that lives in infamy, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in every single Scream 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 finished film. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who ruins the popular series.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "At the start, I don't know if the movie's be successful. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not mess up the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Abound

While countless dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others come back remains. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow still living in a strange communal scenario. The possibility of a meta-horror narrative, inspired by earlier genre films, also exists.

Audiences will discover the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.