Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Spoil the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter signals the iconic comeback 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 aren't the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Coming back to a character you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that gave me sleepless nights," the actor admits.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Characters

It has been established that three different characters from past films are set to return in this latest sequel, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the return 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 murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first time since a small appearance 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 series creator.

"I remember the conversation. I remember the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the years since the 1996 movie was released, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, for better or worse," he notes. "A character that is now represented in each and every Ghostface mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the finished film. He admits to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the popular series.

"The outcome is either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I don't know if the film will be successful. I don't know if people want 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 responsibility to not ruin the series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Excitement Abound

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, similar to a prior storyline. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow still living in a bizarre shared scenario. The possibility of a meta-horror narrative, inspired by earlier genre films, also is on the table.

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