Ghostface OG Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Series with Scream 7.

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a major family reunion. This latest installment marks the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only fan-favorite characters making a comeback.

"Coming back to a role you portrayed in your twenties when you're 55 was a challenge that gave me sleepless nights," Lillard admits.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Characters

Reports have confirmed that a trio of different characters from earlier films are slated to reappear in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their return is still unclear. Audiences should prepare for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Legendary Legacy

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first time since a small appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the audience response. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he got the news from the original writer.

"I recall the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I recall him posing the question. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he states. "Therefore I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the years since the 1996 movie was released, which made Lillard feeling quite nervous.

"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he notes. "A part that is now represented in every single Scream mask that appears every Halloween."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is waiting like the rest of us to see the finished film. He admits to feeling significant anxiety about hoping not to be the one who damages the popular series.

"It's either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I don't know if the film will gonna work. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this idea?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the franchise. I hope people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Theories and Anticipation Abound

While countless dedicated fans are excited for Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others return remains. Perhaps they live rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a bizarre shared scenario. The chance of a self-referential story, reminiscent of classic genre films, also is on the table.

Audiences will find out the answer when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.