Scream Original Star Matthew Lillard Is Anxious He Could Ruin the Franchise with Scream 7.
The long-awaited slasher sequel Scream 7 is scheduled to debut in theaters in the coming year, and it is preparing for a massive gathering of familiar faces. This new chapter marks the legendary comeback of Neve Campbell as final girl Sidney Prescott, following her absence from the previous film. She will, as usual, be alongside Courtney Cox as reporter Gail Weathers, but they won't be the only beloved characters making a comeback.
"Returning to a character you played in your twenties when you're in your fifties was a challenge that kept me up at night," Lillard admits.
An Unexpected Return for Fallon Characters
Reports have confirmed that a trio of different characters from past films are set to return in this latest sequel, despite dying in previous installments. The exact mechanism of their return remains a mystery. Audiences should get ready for the return of the endearing and nearly unkillable officer Dewey Riley, the filmmaker and Scream 3 killer Roman Bridger, and a member 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 time since a small appearance is a dream come true, though he is terrified about the public's reaction. The actor vividly recalls the exact moment he got the offer from the series creator.
"I remember the conversation. I remember the small talk. I remember him posing the question. That moment is permanently etched on my psyche," he says. "So I'm really proud to be back. I'm thrilled to be back."
Stu Macher has achieved cult status in the years since the original film premiered, which made Lillard feeling quite trepidatious.
"Truthfully, that's a part that lives in infamy, like it or not," he explains. "A character that is now embodied in each and every Scream mask that appears every October 31st."
The Fear of Disappointing the Fandom
Now that production has concluded, Lillard is waiting as everyone else to see the finished film. He confesses to feeling significant pressure about not wanting to be the one who ruins the beloved franchise.
"The outcome is either a success and people are thrilled to have you, or it's a miss," Lillard observes. "At the start, I have no idea if the film will gonna work. I don't know if people are eager to see me. I've certainly seen plenty of people state and say, 'Stu is dead. Why are they returning to this trope?' So the reality is that I feel a lot of pressure to not ruin the franchise. I don't want people leaving Scream 7 and saying, 'Well, that was terrible, and Matthew Lillard was the cause.'"
Theories and Excitement Run High
While many longtime fans are excited for Stu's reappearance, the big question of how he and the others return persists. Maybe they exist rent-free in Sidney's consciousness, like a previous plot device. Or, perhaps they are in some way all alive in a bizarre shared situation. The possibility of a self-referential narrative, reminiscent of earlier genre films, also is on the table.
Audiences will discover the answer when Scream 7 arrives in theaters.
