Ghostface OG Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Ruin the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.
The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is gearing up for a major gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters making a comeback.
"Returning to a character you portrayed in your twenties when you're 55 was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," the actor admits.
A Triumphant Comeback for Fallon Favorites
It has been established that three distinct characters from past films are set to return in this new outing, even though dying in prior movies. The precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Fans should prepare for the reappearance of the endearing 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 Status
For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first occasion since a small cameo is a dream come true, though he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The actor vividly recalls the exact moment he received the news from the original writer.
"I remember the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him posing the question. That moment is permanently etched on my mind," he states. "So 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 very trepidatious.
"The reality is, that's a part that lives in infamy, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now represented in each and every Scream mask that appears every Halloween."
The Anxiety of Letting Down the Fandom
Now that production has concluded, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling significant pressure about not wanting to be the one who damages the beloved series.
"It's either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "At the start, I have no idea if the movie's gonna work. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've definitely seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this trope?' 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 sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"
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. Perhaps they exist rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow still living in a bizarre communal scenario. The possibility of a self-referential story, inspired by earlier genre films, also exists.
Audiences will find out the answer when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.
