Ghostface Original Star the Actor Fears He Could Ruin the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a major gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

"Coming back to a character you played in your mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a challenge that gave me sleepless nights," the actor reveals.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Characters

It has been established that three distinct characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, even though dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the reappearance of the endearing and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first time 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 offer from the original writer.

"I remember the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he states. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

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

"The reality is, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the final product. He admits to feeling immense pressure about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved franchise.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "At the start, I don't know if the movie's be successful. I don't know if people want 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 mess up the series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Abound

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow still living in a strange communal situation. The possibility of a self-referential story, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also exists.

Moviegoers will find out the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.