Ghostface OG Star the Actor Fears He Could Spoil the Franchise with the Seventh Installment.

The long-awaited horror film Scream 7 is set to arrive in theaters next year, and it is preparing for a massive family reunion. This latest installment signals the legendary return of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the previous film. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.

"Coming back to a role you played in your twenties when you're 55 was a daunting task that gave me sleepless nights," the actor reveals.

An Unexpected Comeback for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, despite meeting their demise in previous installments. The precise method of their return is still unclear. Audiences should get ready for the reappearance of the endearing and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and one half of the first film's murderous duo, Stu Macher.

The Pressure of Iconic 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 public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the exact moment he received the news from the series creator.

"I recall the phone call. I recall the small talk. I recall him posing the question. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," he states. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

Stu Macher has achieved iconic status in the decades since the original film premiered, which made Lillard feeling very nervous.

"Truthfully, that's a role that lives in infamy, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that walks around every Halloween."

The Fear of Letting Down the Fandom

Now that production has concluded, Lillard is in the same position like the rest of us to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who damages the popular series.

"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 be successful. I don't know if people want to see me. I've certainly seen enough people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the franchise. I hope people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that sucked, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Anticipation Run High

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the central mystery of how he and the others come back remains. Maybe they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a previous plot device. Or, maybe they are somehow all alive in a strange shared situation. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also is on the table.

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