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

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a major family reunion. This new chapter marks the iconic comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

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

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallen Favorites

It has been established that three different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the return of the beloved and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a small appearance is a long-held wish, though he is apprehensive about the audience response. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he got the news from the original writer.

"I recall the phone call. I recall the small talk. I recall him asking. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he states. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has attained cult status in the decades since the original film was released, which made Lillard feeling very nervous.

"The reality is, 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 appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the finished film. He admits to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who damages the popular franchise.

"It's either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I have no idea if the film will gonna work. I don't know if people want to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the series. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Run High

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return remains. Maybe they exist as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a strange shared situation. The chance of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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