Ghostface OG Star the Actor Fears 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 gearing up for a major family reunion. This latest installment marks the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be 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 gave me sleepless nights," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Favorites

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this new outing, even though dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the return of the beloved and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic Status

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

"I remember the conversation. I recall the small talk. I remember him posing the question. That instance is permanently etched on my mind," he says. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the years since the 1996 movie was released, which left Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A character that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fans

Now that filming has concluded, 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 damages the beloved franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know if the film will be successful. I am unsure if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the series. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Abound

While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Perhaps they live as manifestations in Sidney's mind, like a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are in some way still living in a strange communal scenario. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, inspired by earlier genre films, also is on the table.

Moviegoers will find out the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.