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

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Coming back to a character you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that kept me up at night," the actor admits.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Characters

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from past films are set to return in this latest sequel, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Fans should prepare for the reappearance of the beloved and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first time since a small appearance is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he received the news from the original writer.

"I recall the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him posing the question. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he says. "Therefore 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 original film was released, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a part that lives in infamy, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the popular series.

"It's either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know if the film will be successful. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Anticipation Run High

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return remains. Perhaps they live as manifestations in Sidney's mind, similar to a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a bizarre communal scenario. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by earlier horror movies, also exists.

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