Ghostface Original Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Ruin the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a major gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the legendary return of Neve Campbell as survivor 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 returning to the fray.

"Coming back to a role you played in your twenties when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that three distinct characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this new outing, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a small appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor 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 instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

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

"Truthfully, that's a part that is infamous, for better or worse," he notes. "A character that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the finished film. He admits to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved franchise.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "At the start, I have no idea if the film will gonna work. I don't know if people want to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people state 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 don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Anticipation Run High

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, similar to a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a strange communal scenario. The chance of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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