Scream Original Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a massive family reunion. This new chapter signals the iconic comeback 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.

"Coming back to a character you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that kept me up at night," Lillard admits.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Favorites

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the reappearance of the endearing and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first time since a small cameo is a dream come true, even if he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he received 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 states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved cult status in the decades since the 1996 movie was released, which left Lillard feeling very nervous.

"Truthfully, that's a part that is infamous, for better or worse," he notes. "A character that is now represented in each and every Scream mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fans

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

"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 certainly seen enough people state 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 mess up the franchise. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Run High

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return remains. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, like a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a bizarre communal situation. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by earlier genre films, also is on the table.

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