Ghostface OG Star the Actor Fears He Could Ruin the Series with the Seventh Installment.

The highly anticipated slasher sequel Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a massive family reunion. This latest installment marks the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, as usual, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Coming back to a character you played in your mid-20s when you're 55 was a challenge that gave me sleepless nights," the actor reveals.

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallon Characters

It has been established that a trio of different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, even though dying in prior movies. The exact mechanism of their resurrection remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the return of the endearing and seemingly immortal officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and third film antagonist Roman Bridger, and a member of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Iconic Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first time since a brief appearance is a long-held wish, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor vividly recalls the precise instant he received the news from the original writer.

"I remember the phone call. I remember the small talk. I remember him posing the question. That instance 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 years since the 1996 movie premiered, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.

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

The Fear of Letting Down the Fans

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the final product. He confesses to feeling immense pressure about not wanting to be the one who ruins the popular series.

"The outcome is either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard observes. "Going into it, I don't know if the film will be successful. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've definitely seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this trope?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of pressure to not mess up the series. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Run High

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others return persists. Perhaps they exist as manifestations in Sidney's mind, like a prior storyline. Alternatively, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a bizarre shared scenario. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of classic genre films, also is on the table.

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