Scream Original Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a major gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a role you portrayed in your twenties when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard admits.

An Unexpected Return for Fallen Characters

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this latest sequel, despite dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the reappearance of the endearing and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first occasion since a brief appearance is a long-held wish, though he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The actor vividly recalls the exact moment he got the offer from the original writer.

"I remember the phone call. I remember the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he says. "Therefore I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the decades since the 1996 movie premiered, which left Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a part that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A character that is now embodied in every single Scream mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant pressure about hoping not to be the one who damages the beloved series.

"It's either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "Going into it, 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 plenty of people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Abound

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others come back remains. Perhaps they exist as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow still living in a strange communal situation. The chance of a meta-horror narrative, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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