Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Series with Scream 7.

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a major gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter signals the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Coming back to a character you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard reveals.

A Triumphant Return for Fallen Favorites

Reports have confirmed that a trio of different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, even though dying in previous installments. The precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the return of the endearing and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a brief appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The performer vividly recalls the precise instant he received the offer from the series creator.

"I remember the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him asking. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he states. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the decades since the original film was released, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"The reality is, that's a role that lives in infamy, like it or not," he explains. "A part that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Fear of Disappointing the Fans

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who ruins the beloved series.

"It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "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 state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the franchise. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Anticipation Abound

While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Maybe they exist rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a bizarre communal situation. The possibility of a meta-horror narrative, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also is on the table.

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