Ghostface OG Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major family reunion. This latest installment marks the iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a role you portrayed in your twenties when you're 55 was a daunting task that kept me up at night," Lillard admits.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallon Characters

It has been established that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, despite dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should get ready for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a brief cameo is a dream come true, even if he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he got the offer from the series creator.

"I remember the phone call. I remember the pleasantries. I recall him asking. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he says. "Therefore I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the years since the original film premiered, which left Lillard feeling very nervous.

"The reality is, that's a part that is infamous, like it or not," he explains. "A character that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fans

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting 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 observes. "At the start, I have no idea if the film will gonna work. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the truth 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 dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they exist rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a bizarre communal scenario. The chance of a self-referential story, inspired by classic horror movies, also is on the table.

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