Ghostface Original Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Spoil the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the iconic comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl 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 beloved characters making a comeback.

"Returning to a character you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a challenge that gave me sleepless nights," the actor admits.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Characters

Reports have confirmed that a trio of different characters from past films are slated to reappear in this new outing, even though dying in prior movies. The precise method of their resurrection is still unclear. Audiences should get ready for the return of the endearing and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first occasion since a small cameo is a long-held wish, even if he is terrified about the audience response. The actor clearly remembers the precise instant he got the offer from the series creator.

"I remember the conversation. I recall the small talk. I remember him asking. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he says. "So 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 1996 movie premiered, which left Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a part that is infamous, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Scream mask that walks around every October 31st."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the beloved series.

"It's either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I have no idea if the film will be successful. I don't know if people want to see me. I've certainly seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the franchise. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, like a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a bizarre shared situation. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

Moviegoers will discover the answer when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.