Ghostface Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a character you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a daunting task that kept me up at night," Lillard reveals.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that three distinct characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, even though dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the reappearance of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first occasion since a brief cameo is a dream come true, though he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he got the news from the original writer.

"I recall the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my mind," he states. "Therefore I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has attained cult status in the decades since the original film premiered, which made Lillard feeling quite nervous.

"The reality is, that's a part that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the final product. He admits to feeling immense pressure about hoping not to be the one who damages the beloved franchise.

"It's either a success and people are excited 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 don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not mess up the series. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Anticipation Abound

While countless dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return remains. Perhaps they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are in some way still living in a strange shared scenario. The possibility of a self-referential story, reminiscent of classic genre films, also is on the table.

Moviegoers will discover the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.