Ghostface Original Star the Actor Fears He Could Ruin the Series with Scream 7.
The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.
"Returning to a role you portrayed in your twenties when you're 55 was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," Lillard admits.
A Triumphant Comeback for Fallon Characters
It has been established that a trio of different characters from earlier films are set to return in this latest sequel, even though dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection is still unclear. Fans should prepare for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the director and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the original killer pair, Stu Macher.
The Pressure of Iconic Status
For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first occasion since a brief cameo is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the audience response. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he received the news from the series creator.
"I recall the phone call. I remember the pleasantries. I recall him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my mind," he says. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."
Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the years since the original film was released, which left Lillard feeling very trepidatious.
"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he notes. "A part that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."
The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fans
Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who damages the popular franchise.
"The outcome is either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know if the movie's be successful. I don't know if people are eager 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 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 cause.'"
Speculation and Excitement Run High
While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others come back remains. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a previous plot device. Alternatively, maybe they are in some way still living in a bizarre communal situation. The possibility of a self-referential story, reminiscent of earlier horror movies, also exists.
Audiences will discover the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.
