Scream OG Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a major family reunion. This new chapter signals the iconic comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a role you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor admits.

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallen Favorites

Reports have confirmed that a trio of distinct characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the reappearance of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first occasion since a brief appearance is a long-held wish, though he is apprehensive about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he got the offer from the series creator.

"I remember the conversation. I remember the small talk. I remember him asking. That moment is permanently etched on my mind," he states. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the years since the original film premiered, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"The reality is, that's a role that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A character that is now represented in every single Scream mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that production has wrapped, 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 franchise.

"The outcome is either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I have no idea if the movie's be successful. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of pressure to not mess up the franchise. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While many dedicated fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they live as manifestations in Sidney's mind, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a strange communal situation. The possibility of a self-referential story, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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