Scream OG Star the Actor Fears He Could Spoil the Franchise with Scream 7.
The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a major gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.
"Coming back to a role you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that gave me sleepless nights," Lillard reveals.
A Triumphant Return for Fallon Favorites
Reports have confirmed that a trio of different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this new outing, even though meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the director and third film killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.
The Weight of Legendary Legacy
For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a small cameo is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the audience response. The actor clearly remembers the precise instant he got the offer from the series creator.
"I recall the phone call. I recall the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he says. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."
Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the decades since the 1996 movie premiered, which left Lillard feeling quite nervous.
"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, like it or not," he explains. "A part that is now represented in each and every Ghostface mask that walks around every Halloween."
The Fear of Disappointing the Fans
Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the finished film. He admits 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 fail," 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 state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"
Theories and Anticipation Run High
While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, similar to a previous plot device. Alternatively, perhaps they are in some way still living in a bizarre communal situation. The possibility of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of classic genre films, also is on the table.
Moviegoers will discover the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.
