Ghostface Original Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Franchise with Scream 7.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a major family reunion. This new chapter signals the iconic 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.

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

A Triumphant Return for Fallen Characters

It has been established that a trio of different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, even though dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first occasion since a brief cameo is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the audience response. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he got the offer from the original writer.

"I recall the phone call. I recall the small talk. I remember him asking. That moment is permanently etched on my mind," 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 original film premiered, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a part that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A part that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Fear of Disappointing the Fans

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the finished film. He admits to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who ruins the beloved franchise.

"The outcome is either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "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 come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the series. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Anticipation Run High

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others come back persists. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow still living in a strange shared situation. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of classic horror movies, also is on the table.

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