Ghostface OG Star the Actor Is Anxious He Could Spoil the Franchise with Scream 7.
The long-awaited horror film 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 iconic return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. 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 mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," Lillard admits.
An Unexpected Comeback for Fallen Characters
It has been established that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, despite dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member 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 cameo is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor clearly remembers the exact moment he received the offer from the series creator.
"I recall the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That moment is indelibly imprinted on my psyche," he states. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm really excited to be back."
Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the decades since the 1996 movie premiered, which left Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.
"Truthfully, that's a role that is infamous, for better or worse," he explains. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."
The Fear of Letting Down the Fans
Now that production has concluded, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the final product. He admits to feeling immense pressure about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved series.
"It's either a success and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "At the start, I don't know if the film will gonna work. I am unsure if people want to see me. I've definitely seen enough people come out 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 franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"
Theories and Anticipation Abound
While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return remains. Maybe they live rent-free in Sidney's mind, similar to a previous plot device. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a strange communal situation. The possibility of a meta-horror story, reminiscent of classic genre films, also is on the table.
Audiences will discover the answer when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.
