Ghostface OG Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, per tradition, 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 played in your twenties when you're 55 was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Favorites

Reports have confirmed that a trio of different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, even though 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 cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first occasion since a small appearance is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the audience response. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he got the offer from the series creator.

"I recall the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the decades since the 1996 movie was released, which left Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, like it or not," he explains. "A part that is now embodied in every single Scream mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the popular franchise.

"It's either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I don't know if the film will gonna work. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of 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 responsibility to not mess up the franchise. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Abound

While many dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they live as manifestations in Sidney's mind, similar to a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are in some way still living in a bizarre shared scenario. The chance of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also is on the table.

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