Scream OG Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Series with Scream 7.
The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major family reunion. This latest installment signals the iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only fan-favorite characters returning to the fray.
"Coming back to a character you portrayed in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," Lillard admits.
An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Favorites
Reports have confirmed that a trio of different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this latest sequel, despite meeting their demise in previous installments. The precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the return of the beloved and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 antagonist Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.
The Weight of Iconic Legacy
For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first time since a brief cameo is a dream come true, though he is apprehensive 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 remember him posing the question. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he says. "Therefore 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 was released, which left Lillard feeling very trepidatious.
"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, like it or not," he explains. "A character that is now embodied in every single Scream mask that appears every Halloween."
The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fans
Now that production has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the final product. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about hoping not to be the one who ruins the beloved franchise.
"The outcome is either a hit and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I have no idea if the movie's gonna work. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of 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 pressure to not mess up the franchise. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"
Theories and Anticipation Abound
While many dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others come back persists. Maybe they exist as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are somehow still living in a strange shared situation. The possibility of a self-referential story, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also exists.
Moviegoers will find out the answer when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.
