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

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the iconic comeback of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"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.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from past films are set to return in this latest sequel, despite meeting their demise in previous installments. The precise method of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should prepare for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first time since a brief cameo is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he received the offer from the series creator.

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

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the years since the 1996 movie was released, which made Lillard feeling very nervous.

"The reality is, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he notes. "A character that is now represented in every single Scream mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fans

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

"The outcome is either a hit 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 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 returning to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the series. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Abound

While many longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a prior storyline. Or, maybe they are somehow still living in a strange shared scenario. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, inspired by earlier horror movies, also exists.

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