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

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a major family reunion. This new chapter signals the iconic return 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 fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

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

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that a trio of distinct characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, even though dying 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 filmmaker and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Legacy

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

"I remember the conversation. I remember the pleasantries. I remember him asking. 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 attained cult status in the decades since the 1996 movie was released, which made Lillard feeling very nervous.

"The reality is, that's a part that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A character that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling immense pressure about hoping not to be the one who ruins the popular franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "At the start, I don't know if the movie's be successful. I don't know if people want to see me. I've definitely seen enough 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 mess up the series. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Anticipation Run High

While many dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they exist rent-free in Sidney's mind, similar to a previous plot device. Or, maybe they are somehow still living in a strange communal scenario. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by earlier genre films, also is on the table.

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