Scream Original Star the Actor Fears He Could Ruin the Series with Scream 7.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter signals the iconic comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a role you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a challenge that gave me sleepless nights," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Return for Fallen Favorites

It has been established that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, despite dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the return of the beloved and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first occasion since a brief appearance is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the audience response. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he received the news from the original writer.

"I remember the conversation. I recall the small talk. I remember him posing the question. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," 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 1996 movie premiered, which left Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he notes. "A part that is now represented in every single Scream mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the final product. He admits to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved series.

"It's either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "At the start, I have no idea if the movie's be successful. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen enough people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Run High

While countless dedicated fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others come back persists. Maybe they exist as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way still living in a bizarre shared situation. The chance of a self-referential story, reminiscent of classic genre films, also is on the table.

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