Ghostface Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious 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 preparing for a major gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters making a comeback.

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

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallen Favorites

It has been established that a trio of different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the reappearance of the beloved and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic 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 apprehensive about the public's reaction. The actor clearly remembers the precise instant he received the news from the original writer.

"I remember the conversation. I recall the small talk. I recall him asking. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "Therefore I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited 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 role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he explains. "A part that is now embodied in every single Scream mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fans

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant pressure about hoping not to be the one who damages the beloved franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "Going into it, 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 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 pressure to not ruin the series. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Abound

While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way still living in a strange shared situation. The possibility of a self-referential story, reminiscent of classic horror movies, also is on the table.

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