Ghostface Original Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Spoil 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 massive family reunion. This new chapter signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from 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 mid-20s when you're 55 was a daunting task that kept me up at night," the actor reveals.

A Triumphant Return for Fallen Characters

It has been established that three different characters from past films are set to return in this new outing, even though meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a brief appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he received the offer from the series creator.

"I recall the phone call. I remember the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has attained cult status in the decades since the 1996 movie premiered, which left Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"The reality is, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he explains. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every October 31st."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved series.

"It's either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know if the movie's 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 going back to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Abound

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a bizarre communal situation. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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