Ghostface OG Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious 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 gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the iconic comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the last entry. She will, per tradition, be joined by Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters making a comeback.

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

A Triumphant Comeback for Fallon Favorites

Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, even though dying in prior movies. The precise method of their resurrection remains a mystery. Fans should get ready for the reappearance of the beloved and nearly unkillable officer 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 Status

For Matthew Lillard, reprising his role in the franchise for the first time since a brief cameo is a long-held wish, though he is apprehensive about the public's reaction. The performer clearly remembers the precise instant he got the news from the series creator.

"I recall the conversation. I remember the small talk. I remember him asking. That instance is permanently etched on my mind," he says. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."

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

"The reality is, that's a role that lives in infamy, for better or worse," he explains. "A part that is now represented in every single Ghostface mask that appears every Halloween."

The Anxiety of Disappointing the Fans

Now that filming has wrapped, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling immense anxiety about not wanting to be the one who damages the popular franchise.

"It's either a hit and people are excited to have you, or it's a fail," Lillard points out. "Going into it, I have no idea if the film will be successful. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people come out and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this idea?' So the truth is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not ruin the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the reason.'"

Speculation and Excitement Abound

While countless longtime fans are excited for Stu's return, the big question of how he and the others come back remains. Perhaps they exist rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a prior storyline. Alternatively, maybe they are in some way all alive in a strange communal situation. The possibility of a meta-horror story, inspired by earlier horror movies, also is on the table.

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