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

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"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," Lillard reveals.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that a trio of different characters from past films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite dying in prior movies. The precise method of their return is still unclear. Audiences should get ready for the return of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first occasion since a brief cameo is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The performer vividly recalls the exact moment he got the news from the series creator.

"I remember the phone call. I remember the small talk. I recall him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my psyche," he says. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

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

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

The Fear of Disappointing the Fandom

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

"It's either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I have no idea if the film will be successful. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the franchise. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others come back persists. Maybe they exist as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are somehow still living in a bizarre shared situation. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of classic horror movies, also exists.

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