Ghostface OG Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Franchise with Scream 7.

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from 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 character you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard admits.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that three different characters from past films are set to return in this new outing, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a small cameo is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the audience response. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he received the news from the series creator.

"I recall the phone call. I remember the pleasantries. I recall him posing the question. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

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

"The reality is, that's a part that is infamous, like it or not," he explains. "A character that is now represented in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is waiting 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 beloved series.

"It's either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know if the movie's gonna work. 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 returning to this trope?' 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 dedicated fans are excited for Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others come back persists. Maybe they exist rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, like a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way still living in a strange communal scenario. The possibility of a self-referential story, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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