Scream OG Star the Actor Fears He Could Spoil the Series with Scream 7.

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a major family reunion. This new chapter marks the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.

"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 admits.

An Unexpected Return for Fallon Characters

It has been established that three distinct characters from past films are set to return in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the director and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, returning to the series for the first time since a small appearance is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he got the news from the original writer.

"I remember the phone call. I recall the small talk. I recall him asking. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he says. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

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

"The reality is, that's a part that is infamous, like it or not," he notes. "A character that is now embodied in every single Ghostface mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Fear of Disappointing 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 immense pressure about not wanting to be the one who ruins the popular franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I have no idea if the film will gonna work. I don't know if people want to see me. I've certainly seen enough people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the franchise. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Anticipation Run High

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others come back persists. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, like a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a bizarre shared scenario. The chance of a self-referential story, inspired by earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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