Scream Original Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Series with Scream 7.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the iconic return of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a character you portrayed in your twenties when you're 55 was a daunting task that kept me up at night," Lillard reveals.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Characters

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this latest sequel, even though dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Legacy

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

"I recall the conversation. I recall the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That moment is permanently etched on my mind," he says. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the decades since the original film premiered, which left Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, for better or worse," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the finished film. He admits to feeling immense pressure 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 observes. "Going into it, I don't know if the film will gonna work. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the series. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Abound

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a strange shared scenario. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also exists.

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