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

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a major family reunion. This latest installment marks the iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a character you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard reveals.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Characters

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, even though dying in prior movies. The precise method of their return is still unclear. Audiences should prepare for the reappearance of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first time since a brief cameo is a long-held wish, though he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he got the offer from the original writer.

"I remember the conversation. I remember the pleasantries. I remember him posing the question. That instance is permanently etched on my mind," he says. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the years since the 1996 movie premiered, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

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

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that production has concluded, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling immense pressure about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved series.

"It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I have no idea 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 trope?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the franchise. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While countless dedicated fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Or, maybe they are somehow all alive in a bizarre shared situation. The possibility of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of classic genre films, also is on the table.

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