Scream Original 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 massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

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

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Favorites

It has been established that a trio of distinct characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first occasion since a brief cameo is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he got the news from the series creator.

"I remember the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he says. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

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

"The reality is, that's a part that is infamous, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Fear of Disappointing the Fans

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who ruins the beloved franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I have no idea if the film will be successful. I am unsure if people want 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 mess up the franchise. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Excitement Abound

While countless dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others come back persists. Maybe they exist rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow still living in a bizarre communal scenario. The possibility of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also is on the table.

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