Scream Original Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the legendary return of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Returning to a role you portrayed in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that kept me up at night," Lillard reveals.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Favorites

It has been established that three different characters from past films are set to return in this latest sequel, even though meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and nearly unkillable 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 Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the series for the first time since a small appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he received the offer from the series creator.

"I recall the phone call. I remember the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That instance is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "Therefore I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the years since the original film premiered, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he explains. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Scream mask that appears every October 31st."

The Fear of Disappointing the Fans

Now that production has concluded, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the finished film. He admits to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved series.

"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 want to see me. I've definitely 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 pressure to not ruin the series. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Theories and Excitement Run High

While many dedicated fans are eagerly awaiting Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they exist rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a prior storyline. Or, perhaps they are in some way still living in a strange communal scenario. The chance of a self-referential story, inspired by earlier genre films, also is on the table.

Audiences will discover the answer when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.