Ghostface OG Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Spoil the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the iconic return of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters making a comeback.

"Coming back to a character you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," Lillard reveals.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Favorites

Reports have confirmed that a trio of different characters from past films are set to return in this new outing, despite dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should prepare for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first occasion since a small appearance is a dream come true, even if he is terrified about the audience response. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he received the offer from the original writer.

"I recall the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "Therefore I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved cult status in the years since the 1996 movie was released, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who ruins the popular franchise.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I don't know if the movie's gonna work. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've definitely 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 pressure to not mess up the series. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While countless dedicated fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others come back remains. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a bizarre communal situation. The chance of a self-referential story, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also is on the table.

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