🔗 Share this article Scream OG Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Series with the Seventh Installment. The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a massive family reunion. 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 joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray. "Coming back to a character you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard admits. A Triumphant Return for Fallon Characters It has been established that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, despite dying in prior movies. The precise method of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should prepare for the return of the beloved and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher. The Pressure of Iconic Legacy For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first time since a small appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the audience response. The performer vividly recalls the exact moment he got 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 psyche," he states. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back." Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the years since the original film was released, which made Lillard feeling quite nervous. "Truthfully, that's a part that lives in infamy, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every October 31st." The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fans Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the popular franchise. "It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," 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 definitely seen enough 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 ruin the series. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'" Theories and Anticipation Abound While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, similar to a prior storyline. Or, maybe they are somehow still living in a bizarre shared scenario. The chance of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also is on the table. Moviegoers will find out the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.
The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a massive family reunion. 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 joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray. "Coming back to a character you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard admits. A Triumphant Return for Fallon Characters It has been established that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, despite dying in prior movies. The precise method of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should prepare for the return of the beloved and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher. The Pressure of Iconic Legacy For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first time since a small appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the audience response. The performer vividly recalls the exact moment he got 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 psyche," he states. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back." Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the years since the original film was released, which made Lillard feeling quite nervous. "Truthfully, that's a part that lives in infamy, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every October 31st." The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fans Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the popular franchise. "It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," 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 definitely seen enough 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 ruin the series. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'" Theories and Anticipation Abound While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, similar to a prior storyline. Or, maybe they are somehow still living in a bizarre shared scenario. The chance of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also is on the table. Moviegoers will find out the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.