Scream Original Star the Actor Fears He Could Spoil the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter signals the iconic return of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a role you portrayed in your twenties when you're 55 was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Favorites

It has been established that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this latest sequel, even though dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a small cameo is a long-held wish, even if he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The performer vividly recalls the exact moment he got the news from the series creator.

"I remember the conversation. I remember the small talk. I remember him asking. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he says. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the years since the original film premiered, which left Lillard feeling very nervous.

"Truthfully, 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 October 31st."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fans

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the popular series.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "At the start, I have no idea if the movie's gonna work. 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 ruin the series. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Anticipation Abound

While many dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others come back remains. Perhaps they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, similar to a prior storyline. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow all alive in a bizarre shared scenario. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by earlier genre films, also exists.

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