Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Spoil the Franchise with Scream 7.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters making a comeback.

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

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Characters

Reports have confirmed that a trio of distinct characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, even though dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the return of the beloved and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a small appearance is a dream come true, even if he is apprehensive about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he received the offer from the original writer.

"I remember the conversation. I remember the small talk. I remember him asking. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he says. "Therefore 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 1996 movie premiered, which made Lillard feeling quite nervous.

"Truthfully, that's a part that is infamous, for better or worse," he notes. "A part that is now represented in every single Scream mask that appears every October 31st."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fans

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He admits to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the beloved series.

"It's either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I don't know if the movie's be successful. I am unsure 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 pressure to not ruin the series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Run High

While many dedicated fans are excited for Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others come back remains. Maybe they exist rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a strange communal scenario. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also exists.

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