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

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive 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 reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Coming back to a character you played in your twenties when you're 55 was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that a trio of distinct characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the return of the beloved and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and third film killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first occasion since a brief cameo is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he got the offer from the original writer.

"I remember the conversation. I recall the small talk. I recall him asking. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he says. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved cult status in the years since the 1996 movie was released, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

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

The Fear of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He admits to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the popular franchise.

"It's either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I don't know if the film will be successful. I don't know if people want to see me. I've certainly seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the series. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others come back persists. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are in some way all alive in a strange shared situation. The chance of a self-referential narrative, inspired by classic horror movies, also exists.

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