Ghostface Original Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Spoil the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a massive family reunion. This latest installment signals the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters making a comeback.

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

An Unexpected Return for Fallen Characters

Reports have confirmed that three distinct characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the reappearance of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first time since a small cameo is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor vividly recalls the exact moment he received the offer from the series creator.

"I recall the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him asking. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the years since the original film premiered, which left Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"The reality is, that's a role that is infamous, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now represented in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every October 31st."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the final product. He admits to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the popular series.

"It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I have no idea 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 truth is that I feel a lot of pressure to not mess up the series. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Run High

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Perhaps they exist rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a prior storyline. Or, maybe they are somehow still living in a bizarre shared scenario. The chance of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of classic genre films, also is on the table.

Audiences will discover the truth when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.