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

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment marks the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as survivor Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as journalist Gail Weathers, but they aren't the only beloved characters making a comeback.

"Coming back to a role you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a challenge that kept me up at night," the actor admits.

A Triumphant Return for Fallon Characters

It has been established that a trio of different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in prior movies. The precise method of their return remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's killer pair, Stu Macher.

The Weight of Legendary Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first occasion since a small cameo is a long-held wish, though he is apprehensive about the audience response. The actor clearly remembers the precise instant he received the news from the original writer.

"I remember the phone call. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him asking. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he says. "So I'm incredibly honored to be back. I'm really excited to be back."

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

"The reality is, that's a role that is infamous, for better or worse," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fandom

Now that filming has concluded, Lillard is in the same position as everyone else to see the finished film. He admits to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting to be the one who damages the popular franchise.

"The outcome is either a success and people are thrilled 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 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 mess up the franchise. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Abound

While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Perhaps they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are somehow all alive in a strange communal situation. The chance of a meta-horror story, inspired by earlier genre films, also exists.

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