Ghostface OG Star Matthew Lillard Fears He Could Spoil the Series with the Seventh Installment.
The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters next year, and it is gearing up for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This latest installment signals the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, after sitting out the last entry. She will, per tradition, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters returning to the fray.
"Returning to a character you portrayed in your mid-20s when you're in your fifties was a daunting task that kept me up at night," the actor admits.
A Triumphant Comeback for Fallen Characters
Reports have confirmed that three different characters from earlier films are set to return in this new outing, even though dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Audiences should prepare for the reappearance of the endearing and seemingly immortal cop Dewey Riley, the director and third film killer Roman Bridger, and a member of the original murderous duo, Stu Macher.
The Pressure of Legendary Status
For Matthew Lillard, returning to the franchise for the first time since a small appearance is a dream come true, though he is apprehensive about the audience response. The performer vividly recalls the exact moment he got the news from the original writer.
"I recall the conversation. I recall the pleasantries. I remember him posing the question. That instance is indelibly imprinted on my mind," 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 was released, which made Lillard feeling very trepidatious.
"The reality is, that's a part that is infamous, like it or not," he notes. "A part that is now embodied in each and every Ghostface mask that appears every October 31st."
The Fear of Letting Down the Fandom
Now that production has concluded, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the final product. He admits to feeling significant anxiety about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved 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 don't know if the film will be successful. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen enough people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they going back to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of responsibility to not mess up the franchise. I don't want people exiting Scream 7 and thinking, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"
Theories 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. Maybe they live as manifestations in Sidney's consciousness, similar to a prior storyline. Or, maybe they are somehow still living in a strange communal situation. The possibility of a meta-horror narrative, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also is on the table.
Moviegoers will discover the answer when Scream 7 debuts in theaters.
