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

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next 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, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a role you portrayed in your twenties when you're 55 was a challenge that gave me sleepless nights," Lillard reveals.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that a trio of different characters from earlier films are set to return in this latest sequel, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a brief cameo is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the audience response. The actor vividly recalls the exact moment he got the news from the original writer.

"I recall the phone call. I remember the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he says. "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 left Lillard feeling very nervous.

"The reality is, that's a role that is infamous, like it or not," he explains. "A part that is now represented in each and every Scream mask that appears every Halloween."

The Fear of Disappointing the Fans

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting to be the one who damages the popular series.

"The outcome is either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "At the start, I don't know 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 trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the series. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Run High

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others come back persists. Maybe they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, like a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a strange shared situation. The chance of a meta-horror narrative, inspired by classic horror movies, also exists.

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