Scream OG Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.
The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major 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, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.
"Coming back to a role you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that kept me up at night," Lillard admits.
An Unexpected Return for Fallen Characters
Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, even though meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the return of the beloved and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and third film killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.
The Weight of Legendary Status
For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a brief appearance is a long-held wish, even if he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he got the offer from the series creator.
"I recall the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my mind," he states. "Therefore 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 original film was released, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.
"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, like it or not," he notes. "A character that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every Halloween."
The Fear of Disappointing the Fans
Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who ruins the popular series.
"It's either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "At the start, I have no idea if the film will gonna work. I don't know if people want to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not mess up the series. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"
Theories and Excitement Abound
While countless dedicated fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, maybe they are somehow still living in a bizarre communal scenario. The possibility of a meta-horror story, inspired by earlier horror movies, also is on the table.
Audiences will find out the answer when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.
