Ghostface Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Franchise with Scream 7.

The long-awaited slasher sequel 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 comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters making a comeback.

"Coming back to a character you played in your twenties when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that three different characters from past films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, despite dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first occasion since a small cameo is a long-held wish, though he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he received the news from the original writer.

"I recall the conversation. I remember the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved cult status in the decades since the 1996 movie was released, which left Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he notes. "A character that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the popular series.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "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 state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' 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 reason.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Abound

While many dedicated fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Perhaps they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a previous plot device. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow still living in a bizarre communal scenario. The chance of a self-referential story, inspired by earlier horror movies, also exists.

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