Ghostface Original Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a major gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the iconic comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Coming back to a role you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Characters

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return 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 killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first occasion since a small cameo is a dream come true, though he is apprehensive about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he received the news from the series creator.

"I remember the conversation. I recall the small talk. I remember him posing the question. That moment 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 cult status in the years since the 1996 movie premiered, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"The reality is, that's a role that lives in infamy, like it or not," he explains. "A character that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He admits to feeling significant pressure about hoping not to be the one who ruins the popular series.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "At the start, I have no idea if the movie's gonna work. I don't know if people want 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 pressure to not ruin the franchise. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Anticipation Abound

While many dedicated fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Maybe they live as manifestations in Sidney's mind, similar to a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a bizarre communal situation. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by classic horror movies, also exists.

Audiences will discover the answer when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.