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

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a major gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the iconic return of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

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

A Triumphant Return for Fallen Favorites

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from past films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

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

"I recall the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him posing the question. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the years since the original film premiered, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.

"The reality is, that's a part that lives in infamy, like it or not," he explains. "A character that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling immense pressure about not wanting to be the one who damages the popular franchise.

"The outcome is either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know if the film will gonna work. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've definitely seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of pressure 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 Abound

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return remains. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way still living in a strange shared scenario. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, inspired by classic horror movies, also exists.

Moviegoers will discover the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.