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

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the iconic comeback 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 aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Coming back 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 Comeback for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that a trio of different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return is still unclear. Fans should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a small appearance is a dream come true, even if he is terrified about the audience response. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he got the news from the original writer.

"I remember the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him posing the question. That instance is permanently etched on my mind," he says. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the years since the 1996 movie premiered, which made Lillard feeling very nervous.

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

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant pressure about not wanting to be the one who ruins the popular franchise.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I have no idea if the film will be successful. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen enough people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning 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 cause.'"

Theories and Anticipation Run High

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Or, maybe they are in some way all alive in a strange shared situation. The chance of a self-referential story, inspired by earlier genre films, also exists.

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