Scream OG Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Spoil the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.
The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a massive family reunion. This new chapter signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. 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 character you portrayed in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a challenge that gave me sleepless nights," Lillard admits.
An Unexpected Return for Fallon Characters
It has been established that a trio of distinct characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, even though dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.
The Pressure of Legendary Status
For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first occasion since a small appearance is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the audience response. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he got the offer from the original writer.
"I recall the conversation. I remember the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he says. "Therefore I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."
Stu Macher has attained iconic status in the decades since the original film premiered, which left Lillard feeling quite nervous.
"Truthfully, that's a part that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he explains. "A part that is now represented in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every October 31st."
The Fear of Disappointing the Fandom
Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling immense pressure about hoping not to be the one who ruins the beloved series.
"The outcome is either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "At the start, I don't know if the film will gonna work. I don't know if people want to see me. I've definitely seen plenty of people come out 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 ruin the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"
Speculation and Anticipation Abound
While countless longtime fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, similar to a previous plot device. Or, maybe they are somehow all alive in a bizarre shared situation. The chance of a self-referential story, inspired by classic horror movies, also exists.
Moviegoers will discover the truth when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.
