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

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major family reunion. This new chapter signals the iconic return of Neve Campbell as survivor 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 fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a character you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor admits.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that a trio of distinct characters from past films are set to return in this new outing, even though dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first occasion since a brief appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he got the offer from the original writer.

"I recall the conversation. I remember the small talk. I remember him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "So I'm really proud 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 trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, like it or not," he notes. "A character that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the final product. He admits to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the beloved series.

"It's 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 certainly seen plenty of people come out 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 franchise. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Excitement Abound

While countless dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they exist as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are in some way all alive in a bizarre shared situation. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by earlier horror movies, also exists.

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