Ghostface OG Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a major family reunion. This latest installment marks the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

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

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that a trio of different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The precise method of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first occasion since a brief appearance is a long-held wish, though he is apprehensive about the audience response. The actor vividly recalls the exact moment he got the offer from the original writer.

"I recall the phone call. I remember the small talk. I remember him posing the question. That instance is permanently etched on my psyche," he says. "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 1996 movie was released, which left Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in every single Scream mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant pressure about not wanting to be the one who ruins the popular series.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "At the start, I don't know if the film will be successful. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen enough people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Abound

While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others return remains. Perhaps they exist rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a strange shared scenario. The possibility of a meta-horror narrative, inspired by classic genre films, also is on the table.

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