Ghostface Original Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Ruin the Franchise with Scream 7.

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major family reunion. This latest installment signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a role you played in your twenties when you're 55 was a daunting task that kept me up at night," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Characters

Reports have confirmed that three distinct characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, even though meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection 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 a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first occasion since a small cameo is a long-held wish, though he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The performer vividly recalls the exact moment he got the news from the original writer.

"I remember the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my psyche," he says. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the decades since the original film was released, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, like it or not," he notes. "A character that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that walks around 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 final product. He admits to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the popular series.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "At the start, I don't know if the film will gonna work. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people state 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 series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Anticipation 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 live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow still living in a bizarre shared situation. The possibility of a meta-horror story, inspired by classic horror movies, also is on the table.

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