Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter signals the iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Coming back to a character you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a daunting task that kept me up at night," Lillard admits.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Characters

It has been established that a trio of distinct characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, despite dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should get ready for the return of the beloved and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first occasion since a small appearance is a dream come true, though he is apprehensive about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he got the offer from the original writer.

"I recall the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him posing the question. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the years since the original film was released, which made Lillard feeling very nervous.

"Truthfully, that's a part that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A character that is now embodied in each and every Scream mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who ruins the popular series.

"It's either a success and people are excited 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 am unsure if people want to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this trope?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Run High

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others come back persists. Perhaps they exist rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow all alive in a bizarre shared situation. 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 arrives in theaters.