Scream OG Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Franchise with Scream 7.

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a massive family reunion. This latest installment signals 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 won't be the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a role you portrayed in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," the actor admits.

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that three distinct characters from past films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the return of the endearing and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first time since a small cameo is a long-held wish, even if he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he got the news from the original writer.

"I remember the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That moment is permanently etched on my mind," he says. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved cult status in the decades since the 1996 movie premiered, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a part that lives in infamy, 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 production has wrapped, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the final product. He admits to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the beloved franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I have no idea if the film will gonna work. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the series. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Anticipation Run High

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they exist rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a bizarre shared situation. The possibility of a self-referential story, inspired by classic horror movies, also is on the table.

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