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

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a major gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the legendary comeback 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 won't be the only beloved characters making a comeback.

"Coming back to a role you portrayed in your twenties when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Return for Fallen Favorites

It has been established that a trio of distinct characters from past films are set to return in this new outing, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the reappearance of the beloved and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first time since a brief cameo is a dream come true, even if he is apprehensive about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he got the news from the series creator.

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

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

"The reality is, that's a part that lives in infamy, like it or not," he notes. "A character that is now embodied in every single Scream mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fans

Now that production has concluded, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us 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 excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know if the film will be successful. I don't know if people want to see me. I've definitely seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this trope?' So the reality 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 reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Abound

While countless dedicated fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others come back persists. Maybe they exist rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a strange communal situation. The chance of a self-referential story, inspired by classic horror movies, also is on the table.

Moviegoers will discover the answer when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.