Ghostface OG Star the Actor Fears He Could Spoil the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Coming back to a character you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Characters

It has been established that a trio of different characters from past films are set to return in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the return of the endearing and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a small cameo is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he received the news from the original writer.

"I recall the conversation. I remember the small talk. I recall him asking. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he says. "Therefore I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

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

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

The Fear of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant pressure about hoping not to be the one who damages the popular franchise.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "At the start, I don't know if the movie's gonna work. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of 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 ruin the franchise. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While many dedicated fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others return remains. Perhaps they exist as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a strange shared scenario. The possibility of a meta-horror narrative, inspired by classic horror movies, also is on the table.

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