Scream Original Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Franchise with Scream 7.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

"Coming back to a role you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor reveals.

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallen Favorites

It has been established that three different characters from past films are set to return in this new outing, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer 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 time since a brief cameo is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the audience response. The actor clearly remembers the precise instant he got the news from the original writer.

"I recall the phone call. I remember the small talk. I recall him asking. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he says. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the years since the original film was released, which left Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a part that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A character that is now embodied in each and every Scream mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Fear of Disappointing the Fandom

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

"It's either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "At the start, I have no idea if the movie's be successful. I don't know if people want to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the series. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Anticipation Abound

While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others come back persists. Maybe they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow all alive in a strange shared situation. The chance of a self-referential story, inspired by earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

Audiences will discover the answer when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.