Ghostface OG Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Spoil the Franchise with Scream 7.

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the legendary return of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a role you played in your mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that kept me up at night," the actor admits.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from past films are set to return in this latest sequel, despite dying in previous installments. The precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to 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 clearly remembers the exact moment he received the news from the original writer.

"I remember the phone call. I remember the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That moment is permanently etched on my mind," he states. "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 was released, which left Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, for better or worse," he notes. "A character that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Fear of Disappointing the Fans

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who ruins the beloved series.

"The outcome is either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "At the start, I don't know if the movie's be successful. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen enough people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not mess up the series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Excitement Run High

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return remains. Perhaps they live as manifestations in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way still living in a bizarre communal scenario. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also exists.

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