Scream OG Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Franchise with Scream 7.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a major gathering of familiar faces. 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 aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

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

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that three different characters from past films are set to return in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in previous installments. The precise method of their return remains a mystery. Fans should prepare for the reappearance of the beloved 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, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a small cameo is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he received the news from the series creator.

"I recall the conversation. I remember the pleasantries. I recall him posing the question. That instance is permanently etched on my psyche," he says. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the decades since the 1996 movie was released, which left Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, for better or worse," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every October 31st."

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 confesses to feeling significant pressure about hoping not to be the one who ruins the popular franchise.

"It's either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I have no idea if the film will gonna work. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen enough people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the franchise. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Anticipation Abound

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return remains. Perhaps they exist rent-free in Sidney's mind, similar to a prior storyline. Or, maybe they are somehow still living in a strange shared situation. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, inspired by earlier genre films, also is on the table.

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