Scream Original Star the Actor Fears He Could Ruin the Series with Scream 7.

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the iconic return of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a character you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard reveals.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Characters

It has been established that a trio of different characters from past films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return is still unclear. Audiences should get ready for the return of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first occasion since a small appearance is a dream come true, even if he is terrified about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he got the news from the original writer.

"I remember the conversation. I remember the small talk. I remember him asking. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he states. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the decades since the original film was released, which left Lillard feeling quite nervous.

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

The Fear of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that production has concluded, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling immense pressure about hoping not to be the one who damages the popular franchise.

"It's 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 be successful. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen enough 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 responsibility to not ruin the series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are in some way still living in a bizarre communal scenario. The chance of a meta-horror narrative, inspired by earlier genre films, also is on the table.

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