Ghostface OG Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Ruin 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 major gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Coming back to a character you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a daunting task that kept me up at night," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Return for Fallen Characters

Reports have confirmed that a trio of different characters from past films are set to return in this latest sequel, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The precise method of their return remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a brief cameo is a long-held wish, even if he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The actor clearly remembers the precise instant he received the news from the original writer.

"I recall the phone call. I recall the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he states. "So 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.

"Truthfully, that's a part that lives in infamy, like it or not," he explains. "A character that is now embodied in every single Scream mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fandom

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

"The outcome is either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "Going into it, 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 returning to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the franchise. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Anticipation Abound

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are in some way all alive in a strange shared situation. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by classic horror movies, also is on the table.

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