The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly expanding, both on the big screen and through projects streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The latter is the case for Daredevil: Born Again, which is deep into its second season currently. And I got a chance to speak with showrunner Dario Scardapane and EP Sana Amanat about not only bringing back Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones, but also introducing Matthew Lillard's Mr. Charles in this new batch of episodes.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 has been pretty incredible, with the stakes being majorly raised since the first season. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have loved seeing characters from the Netflix MCU shows return, including Jessica Jones. When speaking with the pair of producers ahead of the new season, I asked them what was more exciting between the two characters. Scardapane got real, telling me:

As if I needed another reason to be hyped for the final episodes of Season 2. It looks like sparks are going to fly when Jessica and Mr. Charles meet face to face, and with two wildly charismatic actors playing those figures it feels like just about anything could happen. Although Dario Scardapane seems particularly thrilled about bringing Lillard to the MCU.

While I've got issues with Jessica Jones' powers being nerfed in Born Again, I'm still thrilled to see my favorite member of The Defenders finally back on my screen. It turns out that this was always part of the plan for the show, as Scardapane went on to tell me:

There you have it. The showrunner was unable to pick which actor he was more excited to see join Daredevil: Born Again, and the season truly has been an embarrassment of riches so far. We'll just have to wait and see how things end up for both Jessica and Mr. Charles in the final entires of Season 2.

Executive Producer Sana Amanat also spoke about what it was like to see Krysten Ritter return as Jessica for the first time, as she told me:

She's not wrong. Seeing Jessica and Daredevil kicking ass together in Episode 6 was awesome, and that was just the start of their reunion. Only time will tell how often we'll see Krysten Ritter's character moving forward, as well as where Matthew Lillard's Mr. Charles will go. The show has hinted she's working for Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina, so he could end up being a major presence in the shared universe as a whole.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again air Tuesdays on Disney+ as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Fingers crossed we get more of Jessica Jones sooner rather than later.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe consistently releases new content for fans, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again was recently released on the streaming service, and fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order are thrilled to be back in Hell's Kitchen. In addition to returning characters, some newcomers have joined the fun such as Matthew Lillard's mysterious Mr. Charles. While I'm loving his presence in the show, Vincent D'Onofrio has another perspective entirely.

What we know about Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 has been limited, but fans were recently treated to its premiere episode on Disney+. Things are heating up with Fisk as Mayor, but he's got a new frienemy with Lillard's Mr. Charles. On the show's official podcast, D'Onofrio got real about working with the Scream icon, saying:

Sounds like there's a touch of method acting happening here. Because Fisk's disdain for Mr. Charles seemingly affected the way that D'Onofrio felt about Lillard while filming Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. And I can't wait to see how this dynamic plays out in future episodes of the Marvel series.

Vincent D'Onofrio keeps coming back to play Kingpin, and clearly the character means a great deal to him. Even if he's playing the show's villain, the actor has found a way to connect with Wilson Fisk. In the same podcast appearance he spoke more about how this colored his interactions with Matthew Lillard, saying:

While there's no actual beef between the two actors, it sounds like Fisk's POV was really sticking in D'Onofrio's brain in the midst of production for Born Again. As such, they needed to wrap before he could really enjoy Matthew Lillard's presence. And it should be fascinating to see how the relationship between Kingpin and Mr. Charles escalates throughout the eight-episode season.

Daredevil: Born Again releases new episodes Tuesdays on Disney+ as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll just have to see what drama happens between these two characters as we get deeper into the season.

Spoilers below for those who haven't yet streamed Daredevil: Born Again's Season 2 opener via Disney+ subscription.

Bring out the Hell’s Kitchen Orchestra, or whatever the most applicable performance troupe would be to celebrate the arrival of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 in all its dark and gritty glory. (Dark, save for Wilson Fisk’s suit collection, naturally.) We’ve got all manner of anticipation and expectation for what’s to come from Matt Murdock’s return for the 2026 TV schedule, especially after all the critical acclaim that’s come thus far. As it often goes, I can think of few better ways to celebrate a long-awaited show than blabbing all about it as it’s happening.

So please join me in reacting to Daredevil: Born Again’s second-season premiere, "The Northern Star,” written by showrunner Dario Scardapane and directed by Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson, who helmed Episodes 1, 8 and 9 from Season 1. I expect good things tonight, my friends.

PLEASE NOTE: While the article is being updated live as the episode airs, the entries will appear in reverse-chronological order, and will revert to chronological order after the updates are complete. Thanks for reading!

Pre-Game Message From Charlie Cox And Vincent D'Onofrio

Who doesn't love seeing these two lovable actors chumming it up before they clash like animals in Season 2?

Now for a few more minutes of anguished thumb-twiddling while thinking about watching The Punisher's upcoming special. Errr, I mean thinking about Daredevil...in the episode that's about to come on. (Sorry, Matty baby!

"Did Mayor Fisk Fix It?"

This is my new favorite tongue twister. Which of the Pickwick triplets did Mayor Fisk fix first?

Boo on propaganda of any kind, but who in their right mind would go on camera and say, "Nope, Fisk didn't do nothin' good, no how." A death warrant.

Hell Yeah, Starting Off With That Black Suit And A Baton Beatdown

The textbook way to start a season of Daredevil is for our friendly neighborhood lawyer vigilante to show off just how well-trained he's been. The fact that he can do it on a boat rocking in the water is even more impressive, as just saying it makes me slightly queasy. Not quite as queasy as seeing a dude's arm break over Matt's shoulder, but close.

I also feel like that wall of water would have killed anything in its path, but props to our guy for surviving it.

Matt And Karen's First Scene

Oh, it was definitely a choice to have both Matt and Karen out of breath throughout their first conversation, right before they start smooching.

Sure, what they're saying is important, and what Matt did to botch that boat shipment is gonna piss WIlson Fisk off. But kissing in the dark cannot be held back for later.

Matthew Lillard Like A Mother

Not the best first scene, sure. But the blasé way he lets this line go is worth it after saying he'd fly up to handle things.

• "I need the miles."

Anyone who talks about airline miles in the first minute you meet them is probably a mega-turd. So I cannot wait to see Lillard at his turd-iest.

Okay, Mr. Charles Is A Boss Kinda Boss

People having the nerve to get in Wilson Fisk's face (rightfully or not) are quickly shut the f--k down as soon as Lillard's Mr. Charles enters the room and foreshadows an ominous but very clearly laid out phone call.

While Mr. Charles is around, nobody messes with Fisk. How will having a spook from Langley affect the more Kingpin-ish side of his agenda and the people who chose to work with him? I'd eff with Fisk specifically to hang out with Mr. Charles, I think.

Tony Dalton Rules, Dr. Glenn Does Not

As if I wasn't already disgusted enough by Margarita Levieva's Heather Glenn for everything that happened in Season 1, she's now suffering PTSD-related hallucinations and is blatantly lying on psychological evaluations. FOR SHAME, DR. GLENN.

John Benjamin Hickey's D.A. Is One More In An Ocean Of Sleazes

This episode is really hammering home how corrupt nearly everyone in positions of authority are, save for Counselor Karen McDuffie and retired detective Cherry.

Matt Almost Definitely Just Doomed Cherry

Anytime a character says something like, "I'll tell you all about it when I definitely see you tomorrow," you know they're gonna die. Matt telling Cherry "That's why I'm gonna keep coming to you" has the same effect to me. Hopefully he doesn't die in vain.

Loving This Fake Kingpin Mess

This telecast takeover by a masked Kingpin is one of the things I've been most excited to see, and I'm glad he's just as disruptive and lo-fi as expected. It's kind of stupid, and I adore it.

Ugh, Powell Sucks Worse Than Dr. Glenn / Anyone Ever

I'm not sure how much sympathy we're actually supposed to have for the pair of ship crew members who were aware of what they were shipping, but even if they were almost the worst people in the world, the worst person in the world would still be Hamish Allan-Headley's crooked-as-a-lightning-bolt "cop" Powell. Nothing against the actor, who makes it super easy to hate this hateful monster, but geez, what a waste of space.

I Want Mr. Charles To Have Dinner With The Fisks All The Time

The combination of Lillard's free-flowing energy and Vincent D'Onofrio's reserved menace, buoyed by Ayelet Zurer's calmer menace, is quite the elixir. I'd like to see this three commentating on Monday Night Football and juding on Top Chef as well.

Karen's Wig Game Is Still At Both A 10 And A 0.5 Simultaneously

I mean, sometimes you gotta go out in public and the only thing you have are your dirtiest pants. And then there's Karen's decision to go out in her wigs.

Foggy Sighting!

It was only in one of Matt and Karen's post-sparring memories, and isn't indicative of anything legitimate, but still.

Cherry Takes A Beating, But Keeps On Ticking

Dammit, Matt. (And probably others.) Cherry got his a-- handed to him until Matt shows up, but at least he didn't die. And he also rattled off a trio of solid "gruffy ol' bastard" lines with:

• "You hit like a kid."
• "No, I'm not okay!"
• "Sure could take a punch a lot better ten years ago."

He's gonna be sore for weeks though.

Matt's Identity Discovered! Until It Isn't!

I was legitimately shocked as could possibly be when Matt's hesitation got him pummeled to the point where his mask was pulled off of his face. My mind started to race, thinking about where this story could go if everyone knows that....

Wait, no, those guys are all dead now.

Bullseye Saves The Day, And So What, Was Everybody Just Hanging Out Outside Of Cherry's Place?

Just when it seemed like New York City's most prominent lawyer-vigilante could no longer keep both personas separate, Matt is saved in a most brutal fashion by an offscreen Wilson Bethel's Benjamin Poindexter, otherwise known as Bullseye.

Would Bullseye not have killed those cops if they hadn't unmasked him? Why was he creeping around out there to even be the hero in that moment? Was he watching Matt and Karen kiss earlier like we were? Ewww, Dex. (But I get it, I guess?)

Also, I get that this dude has impeccable accuracy and all, but how would he have thrown that knife from outside the building and still had it stick straight up and down like that?

ALSO also, does he just have a bunch of knives with different messages on them, or is it only about receiving thanks with this guy?

Woo, Bullseye!

Final Thoughts On The Episode

• I want to see more message-knives from Bullseye.
• I don't like how easy it is to root for Daniel and BB's burgeoning ship-ness, given Daniel's icky career path, but Michael Gandolfini and Genneya Walton look genuinely happy to be around each other.
• Tony Dalton better not get killed off in jail because of what Dr. Glenn did. (I know Jack Duquesne is the character's name, but it's Tony Dalton or nothing from here on out.)
• I can't wait to see the height of Mr. Charles' powers and influence. I want this guy to be able to make the ball drop in Times Square on June 22.
• Instead of getting Foggy back for real, we're just going to see him via Matt's trauma, which is...maybe not as good. Especially if the show tries to mirror Matt's with Dr. Glenn's Muse visions.
• I already need Karen's red wig back.

But the biggest final thought of all is THANKS FOR READING and for joining me on this return journey to Hell's Kitchen.

Find new episodes of Daredevil: Born Again streaming on Disney+ every Tuesday night at 9:00 p.m. ET.

It’s been nearly a year since we last saw Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock on a collision course with Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk, culminating in quite dour fashion to set up Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. This season is all about resistance, so snatch up that Disney+ and Hulu bundle now at a discounted price if you’re not a subscriber, because if these first reactions to early screenings are any indication, Marvel fans aren’t going to want to miss out on this.

In addition to the Daredevil and Kingpin actors reprising their roles with much of the Season 1 cast, Krysten Ritter will appear as Jessica Jones, Lili Taylor is joining as the New York governor, Matthew Lillard will clash with Kingpin as Mr. Charles, Tony Dalton as Jack Duquesne/Swordsman and Jack Mulhern as simply “Philip.” Vincent D’Onofrio has been hyping Season 2 as “fucking brutal,” and that’s an opinion that’s shared by critic Christopher Gallardo who posted on social media:

Thomas Storai of Future of The Force agrees, writing that the sophomore season takes the upcoming Marvel series to new heights:

Darren Movie Reviews posts that after seeing half of the Season 2 episodes, they can confirm Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is Marvel’s “most compelling television series to date” with excellent writing, strong performances and “exhilarating” fight scenes. Here’s what they have to say:

Many passionate fans have seen all of the Marvel movies in order, so when they’re excited enough to say Daredevil: Born Again’s second season is among the best the franchise has to offer, that’s a pretty good sign. Daniel Baptista of The Movie Podcast certainly has high praise for the eight-episode season, posting:

The relevance to current events does make for a bit of a rough watch, according to Brandon Norwood of The Film Blerds, but that doesn’t take away from the quality of the story, which he says includes a great redemption arc for one character. Norwood writes:

Nexus Point News declares Season 2 an “upgrade,” writing that Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio give “powerhouse performances,” but don’t sleep on a show-stealing Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page. Their post reads:

Rohan Patel praises the action scenes, writing that Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is the “MCU at its finest.” More from Patel:

We can’t forget about Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye, either, as Aeron Eclarinal of The Direct calls him the MVP of this second season, while echoing the previous critic’s sentiments about the action sequences. Eclarinal’s post says:

The first reactions to Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 are full of words like “brutal” and “mayhem,” with many reporting that the series goes darker this season than the first. Marvel fans appear to have plenty to be excited about — especially with Season 3 already in development.

Tune in when the series hits the 2026 TV schedule on Tuesday, March 24, with episodes available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

Spoiler warning: I’m about to get into some major Scream VII details. If you haven’t seen it yet and want to go in fresh, now’s your chance to bail.

For years, fans have been begging for Matthew Lillard’s Stu Macher to somehow claw his way back into the Scream franchise. Yes, he had a television dropped on his head in Scream (1996), but I’ve always argued passionately that he could have survived. Even the best Horror villains have come back from far worse. Stu was even rumored to return in Scream 3 before that idea was scrapped, and ever since, the “Stu lives” truthers have refused to let it go. Now, nearly 30 years later, that long-running wish has been granted… sort of. Apparently, Stu’s ultimate fate can be blamed on Scream VII test audiences.

Stu does appear in Scream VII, but only through AI, because canonically, he’s still dead. And here’s the kicker: they actually filmed a version for the 2026 movie release where he was alive. In a recent interview with Esquire, director and longtime franchise writer Kevin Williamson revealed they shot an alternate ending that left the door open, only to scrap it after test audiences weighed in. As Williamson explained:

Thanks a lot, test audiences. You’re apparently the reason we got, and this is purely my personal take, the slightly groan-inducing reveal that all the returning Ghostface killers were the result of AI deepfakes. Cue the collective eye roll.

When pressed on the decision, Kevin Williamson explained that keeping Stu alive would have pushed believability a little too far, even for Scream. As much as fans love the idea, he argued that faking someone’s image with AI feels more plausible in today’s world than revealing Stu somehow survived a television to the skull. When asked directly whether audiences preferred Stu to stay dead, Williamson responded:

Not to belabor the point, but I feel compelled to gently remind Mr. Williamson that the last two Scream films featured full-blown hallucinations — or ghostly visions, depending on your interpretation- of Billy Loomis guiding his daughter around like a morally compromised Obi-Wan Kenobi. Was that the most grounded storytelling choice? Debatable. But if we could collectively suspend disbelief for that, I’m fairly confident audiences could’ve handled Stu limping back into the franchise.

Instead, we got an AI twist that — again, just my take — didn’t quite land. And if the alternative was Matthew Lillard chewing scenery one more time in the real world? I know which version I’d pick.

What makes it even more fascinating is that Scream VII managed to power through some of the roughest reviews in franchise history and still delivered the biggest opening weekend the series has ever seen. That’s no small feat. The real question is whether that momentum holds once word of mouth fully kicks in. From the fans I’ve talked to, I’m far from alone in feeling underwhelmed by how this chapter handled its big reveals.

CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg handed the film a one-and-a-half-star review, and early critical reactions were fairly brutal across the board. Which raises an interesting possibility: did the film’s massive debut have anything to do with the buzz surrounding Matthew Lillard’s involvement? If that curiosity factor drove ticket sales, it’ll be very telling to see how the rest of the theatrical run shakes out once audiences discover exactly how Stu is — and isn’t — used in this latest installment of the long-running horror saga.

If you’d rather decide for yourself how Matthew Lillard’s fan-favorite killer is handled, Scream VII is still playing in theaters. Check your local listings and see it firsthand. And while you’re at it, take a look at our roundup of new and upcoming horror movies to map out your next big-screen scare.

Spoilers galore below for all things involving Scream 7’s big twists, so anyone who hasn’t yet watched it should tread very lightly.

No matter how hard one might try to avoid any and all spoilers involving a movie, the blood-stained spotlight on Scream 7 made it nearly impossible to avoid certain details prior to its 2026 release date. Neve Campbell’s return obviously wasn’t hidden, since Sydney was a clear selling point, and seemingly no one tried too hard to shield fans from knowing that Matthew Lillard returned, even if the details were kept super-secretive. But they weren’t alone.

Scott Foley’s cameo was leaked months ahead of release, and David Arquette’s return also went public, with Laurie Metcalf’s cameo all but certain given her reaction to questions about returning So it was up to the movie and director Kevin Williamson to put all of those pieces and more together in a way that results in a fun and twisty whodunnit. I suppose that’s what happened, although just about everything surrounding “Stu Macher’s” return that wasn’t Lillard felt more like heightened fan service than justifiable franchise cameos.

Matthew Lillard's Screw-Loose Performance Is My Favorite Thing About Scream 7

In the same way that Matthew Lillard can turn Quentin Tarantino's insults into nothing dust just by being a great person, he can also be the unpredictable spark that makes a movie truly worth watching. (See: both Five Nights at Freddy's movies, though Scream 7 co-star Mckenna Grace was the bright light in that sequel.) And boy oh boy, does he bring the goody-goods here, despite such a limited amount of screentime and movement and everything else.

By and large, Lillard's Scream 7 presence amounted to a handful of red-band 1990s pro wrestling promos, and it's bliss. "Stu" aggressively taunts and threatens Sydney through a series of video calls with non-descript backgrounds, presumably so Lillard could film for it without any visual hints of it being for a Scream movie, and each video is slightly more demented than the last.

If held at knifepoint by Ghostface, I'd quickly name the "Stu" videos as my favorite thing about this latest franchise entry. For all that Neve Campbell and Isabel May deliver as a mother-daughter duo, and as much as I always want to see more from Chad and Mindy, getting to see Lillard put on his maliciously wacky hat again for this role (sort of) can't be topped. My daughter and I giddily grabbed each others arms each time he popped up on Sydney's phone screen, which was only helped him rise above everything else.

Of course, Scream 7's dual-killer ending revealed that Stu isn't actually still alive, and that he's the creation of Ethan Embry's psychiatric hospital worker Marco, under the villainous guidance of Anna Camp's Jessica Bowden. Obviously, that's the biggest bummer in the world for those of us hoping for bizarre miracles — Marco referring to that idea as “stupid” did make me laugh heartily, for all my hoping — but even if Stu isn't real, Lillard's maniacal glee is.

I Don't Really Get Why The Other Cameos Were Necessary, Especially Dewey's

With the news about the various cameos already out there, I was hoping for something truly bananas to happen with them, and wondered if there would be ample de-aging used for flashback sequences. Then, once the Stu videos start up and make it clear that this is all rooted in bad-faith tech, I then shifted my assumptions to thinking that Sydney would start also getting calls from her half-brother Roman and Mrs. Loomis to continue striking at her sanity.

Instead, Laurie Metcalf and Scott Foley's pop-ins are held until just before the big pair of unmaskings in the final act, appearing along with more of Lillard's madcap antics for a lengthier video jumping across all of Sydney's screened devices. Did I cheer loudly when I saw Metcalf? Yes, without a moment of hesitation, but that's not the point.

This video tactic is such a movie moment, and not something even the craftiest serial killer would concoct. Because it's not like Sydney actually thinks she's looking at Nancy or Roman, whose deaths were never in question, so why even go through the trouble of aging up those bodies if the point all along is making Sydney think that Stu might actually have survived?

To that end, the appearance of David Arquette's Dewey Riley is the most mind-boggling. First, he wasn't ever one of the Ghostface killers, despite drawing some occasional suspicion. I realize there may have been other cameos that were attempted without success, but as it stands, Marco's deepfakes are clearly pulled from the points in Sydney's life that led her to write the autobiography that inspired Jessica to kill her husband.

Second, if Marco went so far as to make AI Dewey a thing, then why not use that to call Gale and severly mess with her mind, rather than just jamming it into the end of an otherwise confounding video for Sydney? Sure, I get that the whole movie is all about Sydney and her legacy, and that Dewey was the brother of the person she named her daughter after. But if that's the point, then Rose McGowan's Tatum would have made a lot more sense.

Having Dewey in the mix just felt more like a cheap ploy to tug at the heartstrings, which could feasibly be applied to Marco himself. But that's giving too much credit where I'd prefer to give less.

Also, Why Did Tatum's Moron Boyfriend Ben Let Himself Become A Red Herring?

This gripe isn't technically related to all the cameos, but I still have to bring it up. Sam Rechner's Ben is introduced in a way similar to Billy's arrival through Sydney's window in the first movie, but the way Ben scares Tatum by smacking her in the head just seemed more like a jerk move than a hint that he was the killer. Still a red flag, but not the worst example I guess.

Later in the movie, however, he's 100% set up as a pre-reveal red herring in both Tatum's eyes and the audience's when she sees the AI video program on his laptop, where he's already figured out how to perfectly replicate the "Stu" deepfake. Considering all of the teens are together and fully focused on figuring things out, Ben should have alerted Tatum immediately about what he's doing with the Stu videos.

I mean, it's truly wild that Ben is able to seemingly mimic Marco's videos exactly in such a short time, so I suppose I can understand if he was just on a roll and wanted to show her a finished product before saying anything. But then they leave the bar, which would have completely destroyed any attempt to use that as an alibi for when he started, had she not immediately caught his tech-savvy and dipsh-tty self. He truly set up his own knockout-turned-murder just by being dumb. But hey, three more cheers for Matthew Lillard!

Scream 7 is currently in theaters, and is coupled with the freaky as all f--kity f--k trailer for André Øvredal’s upcoming horror movie Passenger. It’s always a good year to be a horror fan.

When Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 premieres on the 2026 TV schedule next month, fans signed up for a Disney+ subscription will get to see Marvel’s Man Without Fear and Kingpin clash once more, this time as New York City is under martial law and an anti-vigilante zone. But Matt Murdock won’t be the only adversary in Wilson Fisk’s path this season. He’ll also have to contend with the mysterious Mr. Charles, played by Matthew Lillard. The Scream 7 actor shared some new details about his Born Again role, and it’s making me even more excited for the showdown between Charles and Fisk in the upcoming Marvel TV show.

During an interview with The Los Angeles Times about his return to the Scream franchise that’s now playing on the 2026 movies schedule, Matthew Lillard spent some time talking about Daredevil: Born Again. After mentioning how he’s played Dungeons & Dragons with showrunner Dario Scardapane, he had this to say about Mr. Charles:

Oh, this is going to be good. It’s been proven time and time again since Vincent D’Onofrio started playing Kingpin in 2015 that he is not to be underestimated. Time and time again he’s been defeated, only to come back with a vengeance and still have considerable criminal resources at his disposal. Now he’s currently at the top of his game having been elected the mayor of New York City. So in addition to continuing his illegal activities from the shadows, he’s now imposing his will on the Big Apple.

And yet, as Matthew Lillard explained, none of that fazes Mr. Charles with his CIA experience. To be fair, Kingpin’s criminal enterprise has primarily revolved around New York, though we did see how far his reach extended nationwide in Echo. It’s only now that Wilson Fisk is mayor that he’s starting to become more recognized as an international power player. But that’s not going to make his life any easier, because along with Mr. Charles getting his way, he’ll also butt heads with Lili Taylor’s Marge McCaffrey, the governor of New York.

As much as Lillard’s latest Daredevil: Born Again comments make me more eager to see how Mr. Charles fits into the story, I think we all know who’s going to come out on top between him and Kingpin. For one thing, Vincent D’Onofrio is confirmed to be reprising Fisk in Born Again Season 3, and rumor has it that even if he gets ousted from the mayoral office, he’ll become an even more powerful crime lord. And then, of course, there’s Fisk’s sheer brute strength. Worst comes to worst, I can easily see him killing Mr. Charles with the same level of gruesomeness he did NYPD commissioner Gallo in the Season 1 finale.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, as we still don’t even know what will cause Fisk and Mr. Charles to cross paths in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. I look forward to seeing that happen either when the show returns on March 24 or in the weeks afterwards.

As one of a generation of fans who grew up watching reruns of old Scooby-Doo cartoons, alongside continually reinvented animated series, I was as interested as anybody when it was announced that Netflix was working on a new Scooby-Doo series, the first live-action stab at the franchise since the pair of well-regarded movies written by James Gunn. We recently learned that Mckenna Grace will be playing Daphne in the new series, and it turns out one of the first people to be told was the greatest Shaggy of all-time, Matthew Lillard.

Lillard played Shaggy in the previously mentioned live-action films. He was so perfect in the role that he also became the go-to voice of Scooby Snack munching hippie for most of the animated offerings that followed. Grace and Lillard have gotten to know each other well, having recently appeared in both Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 and Scream 7 together. She informed ET that Lillard was one of the first people she told after landing the role. She explained…

I need to be a fly on the wall when Mckenna Grace meets Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played Daphne in the movies with Matthew Lillard. I absolutely love that she told him about the series, and the very first thing that he said was, “How can I help?” Quentin Tarantino may not like Lillard as an actor, but the guy is an absolute stand-up human being who clearly loves the industry and the people he works with in it.

The new series is set to be an origin story that will see the Mystery Inc. team thrown together to solve a mystery while at summer camp, alongside a lost Great Dane puppy that they find. It’s the sort of premise that will likely have fans scratching their heads, but Lillard has given the show his blessing and is clearly on board with Mckenna Grace’s casting, who seems truly thrilled to be part of the project.

The show is giving off some serious vibes of another show that requires a Netflix subscription, Wednesday. Considering that Netflix series has included several great appearances from actors who were in other entries in the franchise, maybe something like that could happen here. Mckenna Grace could likely get Matthew Lillard to appear, and maybe she’ll get to know Sarah Michelle Gellar, too?

It’s been three years since we last checked in with one of the best horror franchises, and it definitely hasn’t been an easy road. Scream 7 lost Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera as the Carpenter sisters, changed directors and experienced filming delays. But at long last, here we are, with Neve Campbell making her triumphant return to the Scream franchise. Critics saw the flick ahead of its February 27 release, so let’s see what they’re saying about it.

Sidney Prescott will once again be at the forefront of all the stabby action when Scream 7 premieres on the 2026 movie calendar, but she’s far from the only familiar face we’ll see. In addition to Courteney Cox, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown and others reprising their roles, we’ll get the return of previous Ghostface killers Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley, as well as plenty of new characters. Pete Hammond of Deadline celebrates Kevin Williamson’s direction, saying the horror movie is “wickedly entertaining and sweetly nostalgic.” The critic writes:

Other critics, however, are less than enthusiastic about the upcoming horror movie. Rating the film 3 stars out of 5, NME’s Lou Thomas says Scream 7 is still worth the watch with its references, looping circumstances and tricks. However, when it comes to franchise’s seventh movies — like Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, which was basically a Scream forerunner — this film isn’t anywhere near as noteworthy. Thomas continues:

Owen Gleiberman of Variety says Scream 7 gets back to the basics — emphasis on “basic” — as he wonders if anyone even cares who Ghostface is? The critic points out that the movie largely drops the franchise’s signature meta commentary, explaining:

William Bibbiani of The Wrap also says Kevin Williamson seems desperate to get back to the basics, as if the previous two “pretty darn good” movies had whiffed it. It ends up feeling like more of a feature-length celebration of (and apology to) Neve Campbell in what the critic says is a competent but uninspired sequel. Bibbiani writes:

Frank Scheck of THR says to put a knife in this franchise, because it’s done — if not commercially than definitely creatively. The mechanics of the franchise have become “numbingly familiar,” and regardless of who ends up behind the Ghostface mask (or if the trailers give any hints), it’s a letdown. Scheck continues:

While the critics aren’t jumping to call the seventh Scream film the best of the bunch, even many of those who have complaints are still saying the movie’s worth seeing — especially if you’ve already invested in the first six. If you’re pumped about Scream 7’s mix of legacy characters and new cast members, you can check this one out starting Friday, February 27.

Scooby-Doo is getting the live-action TV treatment on Netflix, and the first actor has just been cast! Mckenna Grace will star in the series, amidst her already being booked and busy with two big 2026 movie releases on the way with Scream 7 and The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Now, I want to talk about why I’m loving this piece of news.

Mckenna Grace Just Signed On To A Scooby-Doo Series, And I Love To See It

The 19-year-old is set to play Daphne Blake (via Variety), a role that she actually has played before because she voiced the younger version of the character in the 2020 animated film, Scoob! The Netflix series will be about how Mystery Inc. formed, starting with Shaggy and Daphne solving a mystery at a summer camp involving a “lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder.” Check out what Grace had to say on her Instagram now that the casting news is out in the world:

There’s a lot to be hyped about regarding this announcement. For one, they are actively casting this series after the show was picked up by Netflix in March of last year. But, more importantly, I think the fact that the Scooby-Doo series has cast a bona fide scream queen in the role? Even better! It makes me think that the series will lean into its horror elements a bit more, oh, and that they’re picking big names.

Could Her Matthew Lillard Connection Bring The Actor Back To The Franchise?

One other thought on the casting front is how Mckenna Grace has a connection to Shaggy actor Matthew Lillard since working with him in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 and Scream 7. Lillard has shown his support for Netflix’s Scooby-Doo series before and even offered advice to the future Shaggy actor, but could he also be involved as well? I’m thinking of something along the lines of when Christina Ricci was in Wednesday, but got to play a different (but key) role in the reimagining of The Addams Family.

The new Scooby-Doo show has Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg serving as writers and showrunners, who have worked together on the High Fidelity series, the live-action Cowboy Bebop and Amazon’s Citadel. It follows the live-action Scooby-Doo movies starring Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar and Linda Cardellini, which were released in 2002 and 2004. I’d love to see more of this cast in the series, of course, as well as the new young cast.

Right now, we don’t know when the live-action Scooby-Doo series will be released, but we can’t wait until we can stream it with our Netflix subscription.

Netflix is in the process of reviving our collective childhoods once again, by way of a live-action Scooby-Doo series being developed by Jumanji franchise co-writer Scott Rosenberg and Citadel creator Josh Appelbaum. To date, the new project hasn’t looped in longtime franchise star Matthew Lillard in any capacity, but you can bet he’s been asked for his thoughts. And much like his beloved character Shaggy, his hopes for Netflix’s series are, like, pretty cool, man.

It’s unclear when the new Scooby-Doo might land among Netflix’s upcoming TV shows, given only the synopsis has been made public at this point, but hopefully Lillard’s thoughts imparted to EW will make it to the creative team’s ears, just in case what they’re crafting isn’t already on the same path. As he put it:

My biggest hope for the first Scooby-Doo live-action TV show is that the only CGI will be used to make Shaggy's neck go all accordion-like after he eats 14-layer sandwiches. (Maybe in every episode, maybe not.) Everything Lillard is saying, however, comes in at a very close second.

Sincerely, I've been a lifelong fan of the gang, and I know I've written somewhere on this site about Daphne being my first childhood crush. Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? no doubt factored into my lengthy love of all things horror, and it solidified an untold number of narrative tricks and tropes (while also instilling a fascination with impossible hallway door connections).

Lillard, who previously shared advice for the incoming Shaggy portrayer, voiced his further hopes for the new live-action show, saying:

SImilar to HBO Max's maligned and envelope-pushing Velma, the new version (which is also backed by mega-producer Greg Berlanti) will track the familiar characters coming together for their first mystery at a summer camp. Longtime friends Daphne and Shaggy get wrapped into a potentially supernatural case involving a lost Great Dane puppy and a murder. In this unvierse, Velma is the local with all the science know-how, while Freddy is the dashing-if-daffy new kid. Naturally, these teens have secrets that are in danger of coming to light the deeper they dig into the strange happenings.

So long as the writers remember all of the core values that were there from the start, and that their core friendship is key to their longevity as a threat-thwarting quintet. Sure, they get annoyed with each other, and if Fred brings up traps ONE more time, somebody might snap. But none of that goes beyond the end credits.

Meanwhile, Matthew Lillard has remained an all-out scream king for as many years as he’s played Shaggy, and will be returning to the franchise that started it all with Scream 7. Which — ahem, ahem — makes it a great time to also have him return to live-action Scooby-Doo in one way or another. So here’s hoping those meddling showrunners make it happen, or no Showrunner Snax for them.

“How the hell is Stu Macher back?”

If that’s a question that you’ve asked once if not repeatedly in the last year, you are most definitely not alone. There are a lot of big unknowns about director Kevin Williamson’s Scream 7, but that one sits right at the top of the list, as the Matthew Lillard character very clearly died in the original Scream. Now, we are less than one month away from finally getting an answer to the big mystery – and while that’s tremendously exciting, the actor admits that the whole enterprise has filled him with plenty of agita.

Lillard has been working very hard in recent months to keep all of Scream 7’s secrets, going as far as to not even tell his family what happens in the upcoming horror movie, and while there has been plenty of excitement, he also tells Entertainment Weekly that there has been a fair amount of stress as well. Stu Macher, the original Ghostface along with Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis from Wes Craven’s Scream, is one of the standout roles that the man has played in his career, and he knows that he is potentially messing with his legacy by being involved. He explained,

When we last saw Stu, he was in the living room of his house… and he wasn’t doing so hot. Case in point: we couldn’t even see his face, as Neve Campell’s Sidney Prescott smashed his head open with a television. Technically it’s true that Matthew Lillard is also in Scream 2, but he is merely featured as an uncredited extra, and Scream 7 promises to be something totally different.

For what it’s worth, while Matthew Lillard’s return as Stu has earned a lot of buzz, he’s not the only legacy star who is said to be coming back from the dead for the next installment in the slasher franchise, as there have also been reports that the movie will feature David Arquette as Dewey Riley (who died in Scream VI) and Scott Foley as Roman Bridger (who met his maker in Scream 3). The context of their respective returns is being kept secret for now, but in the case of Lillard at the very least, he was willing to do anything that Kevin Williamson – the screenwriter behind the original film – asked him to do. Lillard told EW,

Also featuring franchise stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding, Scream 7 is just a few weeks away from spilling all of its secrets and is set to arrive in theaters on February 27.

The horror genre has been experiencing a renaissance for years, and it's showing no signs of slowing down. Some of the best horror movies returned to theaters with new installments, including Wes Craven's Scream. The seventh movie is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies of the year, especially thanks to the return of legacy characters like Matthew Lillard's Stu Macher. The 56 year-old actor recently shared the wild lengths he went to guard the movie's secrets, but how big of a role could he really have?

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, especially how it's related to returning (dead) characters. Neve Campbell is back as Sidney Prescott, and fans are curious about how characters like Dewey, Roman Bridger, and Stu Macher will actor into the story. While speaking with EW about his career, Lillard revealed how seriously he's taking taking spoilers. He was asked who knows the nature about his role in the slasher movie, saying:

Now that's some dedication. The Scream franchise has been fighting against spoilers since the very first movie, which featured Matthew Lillard's Stu Macher as one of the Ghostface killers. And he didn't even tell his own family about the nature of his role in Scream 7. Looks like they'll be just as surprised as the rest of us when the movie hits theaters in late February.

As previously mentioned, a number of dead characters are somehow returning for the upcoming slasher. In addition to Matthew Lillard's Stu, we'll also be seeing David Arquette's Dewey, as well as Scott Foley's Roman Bridger. This casting news is exciting, but I have to wonder how much screentime they could possibly have in the next Scream film.

When it was revealed that Lillard was reprising his role, some moviegoers took this as a sign that Stu might be alive. This has been a fan theory for years now, although OG writer Kevin Williamson has shut it down previously. And since Williamson is directing Scream 7, I have to assume that we won't see a magical resurrection of the character in the flesh.

Instead, I assume that Sidney will be seeing visions of people from her past throughout the movie's runtime. There is some precedent for this. For instance, Sidney had hallucinations of her mother throughout Scream 3. What's more, the last two movies featured featured Sam seeing ghostly visions of her father Billy Loomis. Then again, maybe Scream 7 will surprise us and give Stu even more screen time. Only time will tell.

Our questions about Matthew Lillard's return as Stu will be answered when Scream 7 hits theaters on February 27th as part of the 2026 movie release list. As the movie's release gets closer, we should presumably get more footage from the mysterious horror flick. But whether or not we get a glimpse of Lillard remains to be seen.

In the final weeks of 2025, there was a lot of sympathy to be had for Matthew Lillard. While the actor had a solid all-around year professionally thanks to the releases of both The Life Of Chuck and Five Nights At Freddy’s 2, he was emotionally blindsided when Quentin Tarantino took unprompted shots at his acting ability. In the immediate wake of the comments, Lillard was quoted bluntly expressing that it “sucks” to hear that kind of criticism, but in the weeks since then, it seems he has managed to find a lovely silver lining in the whole experience.

Tarantino’s comments were hurtful, but Lillard didn’t have to personally stand up and defend his performances or legacy. Instead, he had legions of fans do that for him, as social media timelines were flooded with posts, videos, and memes showing appreciation for his work in the aftermath of the Pulp Fiction writer/director’s comments going viral. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor has taken a big picture view of the whole controversy, and he has been wowed by the love – comparing to the kind of adulation that is saved for after a person has died. Said Lillard,

I feel like this is illustrative of a lesson that people can’t learn enough. It’s a wonderful gift to feel recognized and valued, and while major events like death and being publicly dissed on a podcast (yes, I recognize how silly those two things are together) can inspire massive outpourings of love, it’s silly to wait and hold on to those feelings until those moments.

Now that we’re in 2026, we can likely expect the love for Matthew Lillard to continue, as he has another interesting year of projects for fans to look forward to. First up is Kevin Williamson’s Scream 7, which will somehow feature the resurrection of OG Ghostface Stu Macher, and it’s arriving in theaters late next month.

As a follow-up, he also has finished work on Mike Flanagan’s upcoming limited series adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie, which will be premiering later this year on an unspecified date, and he is part of the awesome ensemble assembled for Tony Gilroy’s new drama film Behemoth!, which co-stars Pedro Pascal, Eva Victor, Olivia Wilde and Will Arnett.

With the critically acclaimed Wonder Man serving as the first upcoming Marvel series to hit the 2026 TV schedule, fans won’t have to wait too long for Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 to make its streaming debut (via Disney+ subscription). The studio finally dropped our first major look at the new season, and the teaser-trailer reveals Jessica Jones’ return, a few unnerving shots of smiling Bullseye, a surprisingly Foggy flashback, and the long-awaited arrival of Matthew Lillard’s MCU debut.

Lillard knows a little something about role secrecy, coming off of security-ridden turns in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 and the upcoming horror movie Scream 7. Sadly, fans will still be waiting a while yet to learn more about his mysterious character “Mr. Charles,” since the footage didn’t exactly lay out his full biography. But I have a few questions to throw out into the ethers now that we’ve at least seen him in this world, along with all the other new Season 2 shots.

Is Mr. Charles Even His Real Name?

Any time a high-profile new character is introduced with just a first name and an honorific, I’m going to be slightly suspicious that the moniker is an alias that’s shielding an even more exciting reveal coming down the pipeline. That’s absolutely the case here, since no one in Daredevil: Born Again would have a reason to only refer to this man as “Mr. Charles,” unless it’s more of a heightened persona such as Daredevil or Kingpin.

Fans have thrown out plenty of guesses for who Lillard’s character could end up being, though his “no lycra” comments limit those guesses to non-costumed entities. Given the “Charles” of it all, combined with the upcoming MCU X-Men movie, Professor X has definitely come up, though that would require some wild storytelling skills to work around Patrick Stewart’s return for Avengers: Doomsday, and I doubt Marvel would bring him to Hell’s Kitchen under these circumstances. So my money is on the name being totally phony.

Whose Side Is Mr. Charles Actually On?

While details are fleeting, Mr. Charles is described as being a political antagonist, specifically an adversary to Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk, with Matthew Lillard saying he’s someone “completely new to Hell's Kitchen.” But even if we take that with a grain of salt and assume that he is indeed an anti-Fisk individual, that’s not exactly irrefutable proof that he and Matt Murdock would see eye to eye, or whatever idiom is best used here. In the same way that vigilante justice isn’t aligned with local or federal authorities, Mr. Charles may be on his own side of the law here without any allies.

He doesn’t appear to be wearing an official uniform of any kind in the teaser, and he also doesn’t appear to be entirely alone in whatever setting he’s in. That doesn’t prove anything, of course, but sets up entirely different expectations than seeing him sitting in a massive chair in a lush office smiling wickedly. Personally, I only want Lillard to play a villain when he can chew the shit out of the scenery, so if there’s no room for that here, I hope Mr. Charles and Matt are on equal and agreeable footing.

Is Matthew Lillard Behind That Disturbing Kingpin Mask?

One of the most baffling images to pop up in the new teaser is the above shot of someone dressed up as a caricature of Wilson Fisk, making keen use of his less affirmational comic book alias. It's hard to tell what we're even looking at here. Is it an average-sized adult wearing a mask and suit? Is it more of a smaller-sized puppet being controlled by others? Or could it even be an image generated by AI within the context of the show's plotline? More importantly, though, is Mr. Charles responsible?

Given the similar 4:3 perspective ratio, it appears as if this Kingpin figure is connected to whatever signal frequency suddenly sends Matt into a pained frenzy. Fans quickly picked up on how similar it looks to the infamous Max Headroom broadcast hijacking in 1987, so it's certainly possible that more than just a visual message will be imparted to those watching. Although I'm more inclined to believe that imagery doesn't actually show up on any TVs in the real world, and is actually just inside Daredevil's head. (I fully buy into Matt only thinking of TV in pre-16:9 formatting.)

In fact, one could even speculate that Matthew Lillard specified not wearing lycra to throw fans off, only to reveal that he did get into costume for Daredevil: Born Again, even if it isn't the most traditional get-up. Even if he didn't don the mask, however, I'd still suspect Mr. Charles of being the one behind it.

Hopefully we won't need to wait until the final episode of Season 2 to get answers about who Lillard's character is. But we'll definitely have to stay patient until the first episode gets here. At least we now know that Daredevil: Born Again will be back in our lives on March 24, 2026.

Fans were certainly excited when it was announced that Charlie Cox would be back as Marvel's Daredevil in his own show for Disney+. However, if anything, the hype for Season 2 has been even bigger, considering it will see the return of Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones.

The Return of Jessica Jones Is Perfect

The first trailer for the new season just dropped, and it's certainly going to get fans hyped for the upcoming Marvel series that will drop on Disney+ in March. It doesn't hold back Jessica Jones, giving her one of the trailer's few lines of dialogue, while also promising she'll get in some of the show's incredible, and incredibly violent, action. Check out the full trailer above.

The snarky interactions between Jessica Jones and Daredevil were among the highlights of the Defenders series, and it's great to see the new show will take us right back there. The implication is that Ritter's appearance in Season 2 will be on par with Jon Bernthal's Punisher in Season 1. So she might only show up once or twice in the show, but it will likely be a big deal when she does.

First Look At Matthew Lillard's Mr. Charles

Krysten Ritter's return isn't the only thing of interest in the new trailer. We also get our first look at Matthew Lillard's character. Lillard is set to play a character named Mr. Charles, who will be a new antagonist, not so much for Daredevil but for Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk.

We also get a brief look at Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson. Henson had initially denied an appearance in Season 2, but it has since been confirmed by Marvel Studios that the character would appear. While many fans are still holding out hope that Foggy will somehow not be dead, it's all but certain that Foggy will appear in flashbacks. Though how often that will happen, or what part they will play in the story, is unclear.

One character who does appear to have a more significant role in Season 2 and Season 1 is Deborah Ann Woll's Karen Page. She only appeared sparingly in the first season, but she seems to be a much bigger part in this season based on the trailer, though some of her shots here do also look like flashbacks. Wilson Bethel also has a fairly prominent role in the trailer, indicating a strong presence in Season 2. Bethel has been teasing fans with what Bullseye will get up to in Season 2.

We already know that Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 is happening, so the story might not end here. It's also already being teased that this won't be all we see of Jessica Jones. Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 begins March 24 with a Disney+ subscription.

2025 has been something of a banner year for Matthew Lillard, who reprised one villainous role for the critical anti-darling Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, then reprised a seemingly dead villain for the upcoming horror movie Scream 7, and even popped up in an Ice Nine Kills music video to promote his premium liquor brand Find Familiar Spirits. Unfortunately, he won’t be reprising his long-held role of mystery-solver Shaggy for Netflix’s upcoming live-action Scooby-Doo series.

Considering he’s played the stoner-esque character for well over 20 years now, first in the pair of James Gunn features and then in a plethora of animated movies, series and video games, Lillard’s pedigree with Shaggy is second only to the great Casey Kasem. Understandably, he has some sage wisdom for the younger actor who inevitably steps into the role of Mystery Incorporated’s most gluttonous human, complete with a comparison to the legacy of Star Wars characters.

Speaking with Polygon, the Life of Chuck actor admits that the globally recognized gig comes with a ton of pressure and expectations, but says one of the key things for the new actor to keep in mind is to deliver the performance that they are most proud of, since that’s what matters most in the end. Lillard shared:

To that end, Hanna-Barbera debuted Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? all the way back in 1969, likely not anticipating these characters to live on across dozens of projects over the next 55 years and counting. Many generations of family grew up with and raised their kids on Scooby-Doo cartoons, myself included on both sides of that equation. It's not as if new series will make or break my happiness, but it is disappointing when new projects don't hook me. (Speaking of Star Wars comparisons...)

That's mostly just talking about animated projects, too. Live-action takes on toons can spark a wholly separate level of fan rage if not handled correctly. There's a good chance that Netflix's new Scooby-Doo series could be the entry to this franchise for thousands (or millions?) of younger audiences, so there's much pressure to deliver on all fronts in the way that Wednesday has for the Addams Family.

Matthew Lillard also shared some solid advice that a lot of actors only end up coming to realize later in life, saying:

So often, actors in their teens and 20s take on an iconic role without the big-picture understanding that they will forever be connected with that character to millions of people the world over, and that embracing that from the jump will only help. The number of actors who've attempted to distance themselves from specific parts, only to regret it years later upon appreciating the fandom, grows all the time. Especially when it comes to projects involving comic books, cartoons, and...Star Wars.

Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford weren't always so eager to embrace the mantles and legacies of their respective heroes in the years post-Return of the Jedi. Matthew Lillard thought Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed's poor box office killed his career, so at least he would have had some motivation to be angsty about ever saying "Zoinks!" again.

As a lifelong fan of the Doo Clue Crew — I know nobody calls them that — I'm as open-minded and optimistic as can be for whatever Netflix is cooking up alongside Warner Bros. It would go a long way if co-developers Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg would take a page from Mystery Incorporated by bringing the parents heavily into the stories, allowing for Matthew Lillard to play Shaggy's father in whatever capacity.

I’ve been hearing Matthew Lillard’s name a lot lately, and that makes me happy, because along with Jim Carrey, Lillard is one of my favorite actors from the ‘90s who’s still making movies today.

He can be seen in the latest Five Nights at Freddy’s movie (which we gave a middling review, but you know, par for the course), and it seems like pretty much everybody–well, besides Tarantino–loves Lillard. From Scream, to Scooby Doo, to The Descendents, Lillard is always a welcome presence in any movie that he’s in.

However, while most people would likely say that Scream is his best work from the ‘90s (either that, or She’s All That), I’m going with a much more obscure movie, that being 1998’s SLC Punk!. The film is an absolute gem, and I’m here to talk about it.

Oh, and spoilers for a 27 year-old-movie.

To Begin With, SLC Punk! Might Be Lillard At His Finest

Now, even though SLC Punk! came out in the ‘90s, it’s actually about the ‘80s. In the film, Lillard plays a smart guy named Stevo who’s deeply into punk in the “worst” possible state to be into the lifestyle, that being the deeply conservative (in values!) Utah. That said, he’s not completely alone, as his best friend, “Heroin Bob” (Michael Goorjian) is also about that life.

Both of them have to navigate Salt Lake City as outsiders, and they embrace it…for the most part. You see, “Heroin Bob” feels a lot more authentic than Stevo. Because even though “Heroin Bob” is called that, it’s a bit of a joke, since he’s straight edge, and really aligns with the ideologies of punk because he’s had a really hard upbringing. Meanwhile, Stevo is kind of a poser. His parents are well-off, and he could go to Harvard Law School, but he doesn’t because he thinks punk is cool, and he embraces nonconformity.

Lillard plays this effortlessly. Even though anybody can see that he’s more in love with the ideas of punk rather than punk itself, you get a sense that Stevo doesn’t realize this. In his mind, he is punk, but a lot of the things that he does go against that. For instance, he’s casually dating a woman named Sarah (Jennifer Lien), and he believes he’s cool with their non-monogamous relationship. But, when he finds out she’s having sex with somebody else, he beats up the guy, only to later realize that this goes against his beliefs of nonconformity.

It’s a nuanced performance, and one that has a clear beginning, middle, and end…which is likely why Lillard didn’t return for the sequel, Punk’s Dead, that nobody asked for. But hey, at least “Heroin Bob” returned. Sort of.

The Movie Is A Comedy, But Lillard Somehow Manages To Lend It Gravitas

SLC Punk! is actually a very funny movie…when it wants to be (I’ll get to that again later). A lot of the humor comes from Lillard’s character making a mockery of the people he views as squares (such as his parents, who were former hippies turned yuppies). Stevo doesn’t fit in with a majority of the people in SLC, so he riffs on them. “Heroin Bob” is also quite funny, because he seems so kind-hearted, even though he has a mohawk that seems to scare people.

That said, even though it’s certainly a comedy, there’s a gravitas to the story that shouldn’t be overlooked. You see, as mentioned earlier, Stevo really feels like he’s living the lifestyle, and the earnestness he has for the subculture really makes you feel like he’s heading in the wrong direction, and doesn’t even realize it. When he’s freaking people out, you get a sense that he’s going to eventually spiral out of control if he doesn’t get his life together.

Like I said earlier, this performance has a distinct beginning, middle, and end, and Lillard goes from loving punk, to questioning it, to eventually understanding that he was trying to find out who he actually was the entire time.

However, before we get that strong, emotional arc, we get a lot of silly moments of religious people being shocked by Stevo’s words and expressions, which makes for a fun ride…until it doesn’t.

Lillard Makes The Punk Scene Feel Authentic

One of my best friends from grade school introduced me to this movie, and at the time, he was really into punk. I mean, I think he still is, since he still goes to concerts, but I think the side of him that felt he WAS punk (and not just into the music), has kind of dissipated, as it does with most people when they fully enter adulthood.

That said, when he introduced me to the movie, I got a sense that he fully understood that Lillard’s character was just a poser, and that the lifestyle itself was still something worth living up to. But, in that way, he was kind of like Lillard’s character, just a more fully-realized version of him. It’s interesting, but I think Lillard really captures that sense of wanting to be something you’re not, even if you have to force it.

In fact, I’ve been there, too, but for me, it was rap music, as I really thought I was a “part of the culture” when I was younger – even though I was more like Anthony Mackie’s character in 8 Mile. And, Lillard makes that feel authentic, too, as a lot of people who likely claim to be punk don’t really have much of a reason to be raging against authority. It really is just a part of being afraid to grow up.

In many ways, punk itself is about wanting to stay young. It’s a rebellion against aging and Lillard makes that feel all too real with his performance.

It Has One Of The Saddest Endings, And Lillard Totally Sells It

Okay, so even though it wasn’t listed in our article of the saddest movie deaths that break our hearts, I definitely want to add SLC Punk!, as it has one of the saddest movie deaths I’ve ever seen, and that’s the death of “Heroin Bob.” As mentioned earlier, Bob, whose character’s real name was Bob Williams, didn't actually do heroin since he was terrified of needles. Being straight edge, which means not doing any drugs - INCLUDING alcohol or tobacco (I’ll circle back to that) - can be considered punk, because it goes against punk itself in a lot of ways, as the lifestyle often embraces drugs.

The wrestler, CM Punk, for instance, is often referred to as the “Straight Edge Superstar” as he openly embraces the straight edge lifestyle. Now, “Heroin Bob” believes he’s straight edge, but since he’s not completely straight edge, it causes his death, because he (unwittingly) uses both Percodan and alcohol because he has a headache, and ends up dying in the process.

Let me tell you, the scene is brutal, and it’s 100% because of Lillard’s reaction to seeing his best friend dead. It’s a scene where you truly get to see the versatility of Lillard as an actor, as you get to watch him fully question his role in his friend’s death. This transforms his character into realizing that he’s only pretending to be punk once he realizes the ultimate outcome for himself if he keeps up on this current path.

It’s a phenomenal, crushing performance, and one of the reasons why it’s my favorite role of Lillard’s. What’s yours?

Quentin Tarantino is one of Hollywood’s most celebrated filmmakers, but he recently drawn the ire of some fans due to comments he made. Tarantino shaded Paul Dano on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast last week, calling him “the weakest fucking actor in SAG.” Owen Wilson and Matthew Lillard also caught some strays from the Kill Bill director, with Tarantino saying he doesn’t care for them as actors. Now, Lillard is being hyped up in a new commercial from none other than Ryan Reynolds.

A number of Tarantino's peers, including The Batman director Matt Reeves, showed support for Paul Dano after those comments went viral. Meanwhile, Matthew Lillard opened up about how much Tarantino's comments hurt him. Now, in comes Ryan Reynolds and co. with a new Mint Mobile commercial, which just happens to feature Lillard and sing his praises. Take a look:

If Ryan Reynolds knows how to do anything flawlessly, it's capitalizing on a pop culture-centric moment. The Deadpool actor has made ads with Nick Cannon poking fun at the reality host’s fathering of 12 children (8 at the time of the ad) and, more recently, he made an ad for Astronomer after Coldplay-gate, featuring Chris Martin’s ex, Gwyneth Paltrow. So it seems on brand that at a time when Lillard is a hot topic, Reynolds felt compelled to feature the beloved actor in a national ad campaign for his billion-dollar wireless company.

What's important to note, though, is that neither Reynolds nor Lillard mention Quentin Tarantino by name in the video. However, this ad came out only a week after the Once Upon A Time In Hollywood director’s comments were published. Also, in the commercial, Lillard makes a joke alluding to not being unanimously loved as an actor.

Still, the She’s All That alum seems to be aware that he has a very loyal fanbase. Even though it’s a joke, it hurts my heart to hear Lillard say he’s not loved. During a Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 screening, the FNAF actor told the audience he was not popular in Hollywood, and it honestly makes me sad he believes that.

While the most the FNAF sequel didn’t get great reviews, many of Lillard's movies remain beloved classics, from Scooby-Doo to Scream. And, over the years, he's given unforgettable goofy, crazy, and sometimes creepy performances. The comments on Reynolds' X account certainly prove that both Lillard and Reynolds have their admirers:

• Matthew Lillard really is a legend - @braveheart_89
• Timing is everything. Both these men are amazing. - @1010pm
• Amazing! Ryan you’re so clever. Love you both! - @vanessa_voom
• Matthew Lillard is a beloved actor for dozens of roles! Now also for this commercial. Zoinks! - @RussellFosterTX
• You two should be in a movie together. It would be chaotic goodness - @deadautism
• Ryan Reynolds knows what the people want, love this commercial for Matthew Lillard. - @JJCiname

Something positive to pull from this whole situation is that Matthew Lillard has experienced an outpouring of love from his fans, and it's lovely to see the SLC Punk! actor receive it. Fans can check out Lillard now in Five Nights at Freddy's 2, which is now playing in theaters. Also, the actor will return as Stu Macher in the upcoming Scream 7, which is set to hit theaters on February 27 amid the 2026 movie schedule.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet watched Five Nights at Freddy's 2, so be warned!

To get this viewpoint out of the way right up top: I would love if a live-action Five Nights at Freddy’s could exist that focused entirely on the boffo animatronic characters crafted by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, without having to spend much time with any of the human characters. We’ve not yet reached that point, however, and despite my tempered hopes, Blumhouse and Universal’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 somehow bombed even harder with critics than the first one — here’s our review — thanks in large part to its sloppy storytelling.

Of course, this is a franchise bolstered by obsessive fans, and I can’t help but love the fact that so many of them showed up in droves that FNAF 2 managed to surpass the first film’s opening weekend. So it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that the third film in this planned trilogy will get formally announced soon. However, two of the sequel’s most glaring (to me) issues are stopping me from feeling overwhelmingly optimistic about FNAF 3 being a quality closer, and these are the kinds of things game creator and film screenwriter Scott Cawthon should definitely avoid.

Skeet Ulrich's Appearance Is Wildly Confusing At Best, Completely Mishandled At Worst

When the rumors surfaced that Skeet Ulrich joined the Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 cast, horror fans like me had Scream-flavored visions of the two actors sharing the screen in one way or another, and fans immediately predicted that the Jericho vet would be taking on the role of Freddy Fazbear’s co-creator, Henry Emily. The actor himself didn’t feed too much into the fan comments when he finally addressed his casting, but the idea that he’d possibly still be involved with the third film only strengthened the belief that he was playing Henry.

Like so many details from this movie, however, Ulrich’s long scene with Josh Hutcherson’s Mike barely amounts to more than one big shrug for audience members who aren’t already intimately aware of the character’s importance from the games. In fact, that sequence almost comes across as if it’s purposefully being opaque about things, given that Henry only talks to Mike about his murdered daughter without dropping the major connective tissue between him and Vanessa’s dear old dead dad.

Sure, there are dots that can be connected. His dead daughter’s name being Charlotte is certainly the big one, but there’s also the fact that he gave Mike a music box to use on the ghostly Charlotte. Not a lot of people out here designing music boxes, so that tapped into the character’s crafty nature. Except wait… Again, if you aren’t familiar with the herky-jerk canon of the video games and tie-in books and graphic novels, these details probably had little impact, and one wonders why Cawthon didn’t just make it immediately clear who Henry is.

Instead, that exposition comes out in the most awkward way possible: via voice message to Mike that plays over the end credits. Sure, that’s a direct nod to Henry’s voice memos in the game, but it made a hell of a lot more sense in that medium than it does in live-action. So for anyone who wasn’t able to, or chose not to, stick around to watch the credits, Skeet Ulrich’s appearance must have felt like the weirdest left-field casting.

Oh yeah, and zero scenes between Ulrich and Matthew Lillard. I don't even know what to do with that.

The Fact That Multiple Pizzeria Locations Exist (And Without Mike Being Aware) Is Ridiculous

In adapting the janky timeline he'd set up with the video games, Scott Cawthon had the chance to right any and all wrongs by establishing a more believable and easier-to-understand history for Freddy Fazbear's restaurants. Instead, FIve Nights at Freddy's 2 goes down the exact same path and gives the live-action universe the exact same inconsistencies.

I realize that in 1982, there was no Internet or social media to hold people and businesses instantly accountable, but how likely is it that a family-friendly upstart like this would continue to exist after one of the founders' daughters was murdered while attempting to reverse another child's abduction? Did they just never question William Afton about it, because I don't think Lillard's character could deal with high-pressure questioning for very long without lapsing into cartoonish villainy.

Even if I allow myself to be comfortable with the concept of more than one Freddy Fazbear pizzeria being legally allowed to open following child-related crimes going down, I would still take issue with the way these other entertainment centers are introduced within the narrative. Which is to say, Mike's mind is blown to learn that there was another Freddy's location, even though this is something he 100% would have learned even if he'd only accidentally stumbled into five seconds of research. There's nothing accidental about it, though, since Mike's family is entirely enmeshed in Afton's crimes.

Let's see. One of Mike's siblings was murdered by William Afton, and his other sibling has spent the past three years obsessing over the robotics the dude helped popularize. Then there was their duplicitous and greed-driven Aunt Jane, who was straight-up murdered by an animatronic. But you're telling me despite all that, along with whatever police interviews and court cases that followed, Mike still managed to remain entirely clueless about there being an original Freddy's? Maybe he deserves to get his noggin gnawed on a little by some steel teeth.

Considering both of the above issues would have been easy to fix for a big-screen adaptation, I can't help but feel all the more wary about Blumhouse and Universal ordering up and dumping even more money into a third entry joining the legion of upcoming horror movies. And I didn't even attempt to talk about the giant whiff of Freddy Carter's Michael Afton, who arrived out of nowhere as Vanessa's brother and William's son. Maybe, just maybe, in a movie with less than 10 characters whose names matter: DON'T USE THE NAME MICHAEL IF THERE'S ALREADY A MIKE INVOLED. But I digress.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is currently in theaters, and will be available to rent and purchise on VOD and digital before the end of the year.

While he doesn't have a huge role in it, Matthew Lillard can currently boast being part of the biggest movie of the weekend, the critically eviscerated sequel that fans can’t get enough of, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. The goal is for him get a more worthwhile amount of screen time in a hypothetical third feature, and I sincerely hope it happens, since he’s easily the most watchable human in either movie. As it happens, Lillard was nearly one of the most watchable parts of an entirely different mega-popular horror franchise, The Walking Dead.

Personally, I think it’s fun to imagine a world where the Scream vet (and upcoming Scream 7 co-star) portrayed the role of Carl Grimes, son of Andrew Lincoln’s Rick, but I know that doesn’t make any sense. In reality, Lillard very temporarily grasped the role of the show’s skull-demolishing antagonist Negan, at a point when Jeffrey Dean Morgan seemed like he might not jump on. Speaking to Comic Book Resources about FNAF 2, Lillard shared the following:

The majority of TV roles do not require casting directors to call in household celebs for four auditions, but Negan was certainly an exception to many rules of the small screen, and his arrival helped The Walking Dead both reach its peak audience, while also being the cause for the viewership to cascade downward. Not that it was Jeffrey Dean Morgan in and of himself that turned fans away, but rather the character's brutally unforgivable actions upon his arrival in Season 6, which then carried into the Season 7 premiere.

So how close did it get? Well, if Jeffrey Dean Morgan had dropped his phone in a toilet or had an untimely cold, Walking Dead fans might have had an entirely different reaction to the villain's game-changing introduction. Lillard continued, saying:

Wowzers and then some. To think that Matthew Lillard could have gone from Twin Peaks' enigmatic return season to playing one of the most celebrated comic book villains of the modern era. This is totally one of those points in life where I wish Sliding Doors-esque situations where possible, and I could watch a parallel universe's version of The Walking Dead where the SLC Punk vet is the one filling out Negan's leather jacket while swinging his beloved bat Lucille down on character's busted skulls. Also in that alt-dimension, Rick Grimes is played by fellow Scream killer Skeet Ulrich.

Lillard doesn't think he would have shared the same story arc as JDM's Negan, given their physical differences and performance types, and I wonder if things would have skewed closer to the comics in that respect. The Walking Dead has long treated Negan as something of an unkillable anti-hero, with two seasons so far of the spinoff Dead City focused on his continued survival. That said, I think it wouldn't have been long before Lillard's version also attained anti-hero status, give how affable the actor is.

Also, for what it's worth, Lillard gave Morgan props, saying "He's great - different and masculine." In that other reality, I wonder if Lillard would have bulked up to fill out that leather jacket that much more snugly.

Without any zombies around to massacre, the actor can be found in Five Nights at Freddy's 2, currently playing in theaters, with upcoming arcs in one of my most anticipated upcoming horror TV series, Mike Flanagan's Carrie and the second season of Daredevil: Born Again. Here's hoping he lands a DCU role with his Scooby-Doo director James Gunn.

Since the end of this year marks the first quarter of the 21st century, it seems fitting that one of our most celebrated filmmakers, Quentin Tarantino, would weigh in on his favorite movies made thus far. However, when the Pulp Fiction filmmaker ranked the top ten movies of the century, it came with a lot of spitfire comments that have been going viral. One of his hot takes was at the expense of Scream and Scooby-Doo star Matthew Lillard, and the actor has now candidly responded.

Quentin Tarantino’s comments were made on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, as he called Paul Dano “the weakest fucking actor in SAG” while critiquing Dano’s performance in There Will Be Blood. Since then, a bunch of actors and filmmakers, including The Batman’s Matt Reeves, defended the actor. The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood director also claimed The Hunger Games “just ripped off” Battle Royale. Those have been the biggest headlines to come out of the podcast, but Matthew Lillard was also part of the conversation. As the actor shared:

In a video shared on TikTok by @little_spooks, Matthew Lillard brought up the director while in front of a crowd of people at a screening of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 at GalaxyCon. Tarantino said on the podcast, “I don’t care for Matthew Lillard,” along with saying the same thing about Owen Wilson after his comments about Dano. As soon as he mentioned it, the audience booed in support of Lillard before he said this:

Sure, Matthew Lillard could have chosen to brush off the comments and not mention it on the weekend of the premiere for his new horror movie. However, the actor bringing up what Tarantino said and getting honest about how much it “hurts” really brings some humanity to the conversations around Tarantino’s comments this week. As Lillard pointed out, he feels like it’s a comment that the director wouldn’t have made to bigger movie stars, and speaks to him being “not very popular in Hollywood.”

Obviously, Matthew Lillard has loads of fans of his movies, and was among a sea of them as he brought up the comments. But, as he pointed out, Tarantino’s words implied that there’s a lack of respect toward him as an actor in comparison to more high-profile names like Tom Cruise, for example.

Hurtful words aside, Matthew Lillard’s latest movie, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, is set to make a lot of money this weekend with a record opening (per Variety). Lillard is also returning to the Scream franchise for the seventh movie, which coming out on February 27, 2026, much to the credit of his character being a fan-favorite across the past 30 years. Tarantino might not care for him but, clearly, a lot of moviegoers most certainly do.

When the Five Nights at Freddy’s video game was adapted into a movie in 2023, it was pretty clear by the way the ending set up a sequel that the filmmakers were confident fans would buy in. Sure enough, it was a box office hit, and two years later, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is hitting the 2025 movie calendar for more animatronic frights. Critics have seen the upcoming horror movie, and they've got some pretty harsh opinions.

FNAF 2 takes place a year after the events of the original, with Abby Schmidt (Piper Rubio) reconnecting with Freddie Fazbear and her other friends from the pizza place. Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail and Matthew Lillard also reprise their roles, with Skeet Ulrich joining the universe as Henry Emily, who — at least in video game lore — co-founded Fazbear Entertainment with Lillard’s William Afton. In CinemaBlend’s review of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, Eric Eisenberg says the sequel has stooped to new lows. He rates it 1.5 stars out of 5, writing:

Josh Oller of AV Club agrees this sequel is crushed by heavy-duty incompetence, with director Emma Tammi still unable to stage a horror set piece or an effective shock. Oller gives the movie an F and says:

Matt Donato of IGN wonders if even diehard Scott Cawthorn fans will be able to defend this bare-minimum video game adaptation. It lacks enthusiasm in everything it attempts, Donato writes, saying it’s time to “pull the plug, reboot the system.” The critic gives the movie an “Awful” 3 out of 10, writing:

BJ Colangelo of SlashFilm rates the movie 4 out of 10, saying the Jim Henson's Creature Shop creations are fantastic and that the film “absolutely soars” when we finally get Mike in the security office. However, it ultimately fails to deliver anything worth celebrating due to a disastrous script, and Colangelo says Blumhouse would be smart to replace Scott Cawthorn as screenwriter for the inevitable threequel. The critic continues:

Aiden Kelley of Collider, meanwhile, sees plenty of positives, giving FNAF 2 a 6-out-of-10 rating and saying it’s scarier and more entertaining than the original in almost every way. The critic says steps were taken to correct two big drawbacks of the first movie — no real scares and a plot that takes itself too seriously. Kelley continues:

As noted by many of the critics, the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise has such a passionate fanbase that there’s likely nothing that will keep them away from theaters. (My own teenage FNAF fanatic is actually at a showing as I write this.) But just to make the critics’ collective opinion official, the sequel is opening to a pretty dismal 12% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 hits the big screen on Friday, December 5.

Matthew Lillard is no stranger to fans of the best horror movies, but even he admits stepping into the upcoming Scream 7 came with a surprising amount of pressure. While walking the red carpet at the Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 premiere, the actor spoke about returning to the franchise that helped launch his career.

Lillard caught up with Entertainment Tonight, and in a clip the outlet posted to its official TikTok, he admitted that the franchise’s legacy hit him hard. The last thing he wanted was to return after all these years only to mess up something fans consider sacred. As he put it:

Lillard also cracked a smile while sharing his hopes for the next installment in the horror franchise, hopes that clearly come from a place of affection for the fandom that’s kept Scream alive for nearly three decades. He added:

From the little we know about Scream 7, it arrives on February 27, 2026, with original Scream scribe Kevin Williamson directing and Guy Busick penning the script. Radio Silence is sticking around as executive producers, but the biggest story is the cast, a mix of returning icons, unexpected newcomers, and impossible-to-predict choices that have fans spinning theories nonstop.

Neve Campbell is officially back as Sidney Prescott, a move that instantly raised the stakes. Courteney Cox returns as Gale Weathers, somehow still (barely) outrunning Ghostface after being stabbed, shot, punched, and thrown through more glass than any human should survive. Members of the “Core Four,” Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown, are back as Chad and Mindy, though their siblings, Sam and Tara, are missing from the lineup, leaving fans wondering how the new film will bridge that emotional gap.

Then come the surprises: Isabel May as Sidney’s daughter. Anna Camp in a mystery role. McKenna Grace, Celeste O’Connor, Asa Germann, Ethan Embry, Mark Consuelos, Michelle Randolph, and Jimmy Tatro are all joining the ride.

But the biggest shockwave, of course, is Matthew Lillard’s return in and of itself, even if no one knows the "how." The casting announcement didn’t specify if Stu Macher is physically back or appearing as a vision, Billy Loomis–style. That ambiguity alone has reignited decades of fan theories insisting Stu survived his TV-to-the-head “death” in the 1996 original. The franchise even teased his lingering presence in Scream VI, making the possibility feel more real than ever.

However, they’re bringing him back, and one thing feels clear: Williamson and the creative team are swinging big. They know longtime fans will be watching closely, and they’re stacking the deck with legacy players and new blood to keep the 2026 movie schedule buzzing until the upcoming horror movie slashes its way onto our screens.

After a turbulent stretch for the Scream franchise, director swaps, cast exits, and debates over the series’ direction, the upcoming Scream 7 is shaping up to be something of a reset. The movie marks Kevin Williamson’s long-awaited return to the director’s chair, and if you ask Matthew Lillard, the upcoming horror movie is leaning heavily into that old-school Woodsboro DNA. In a recent interview, the actor weighed in on how the latest chapter will differ from the franchise’s newer entries.

Lillard, who’s reprising one half of the original Ghostface Killers, under circumstances that remain extremely mysterious, recently spoke with ComicBookMovie about the tone of the film and how it compares to the franchise’s recent entries. And according to him, Williamson’s approach is precisely what long-time fans have been hoping for. The SLC Punk! actor emphasized that the energy behind the movie felt instantly right the moment he heard the pitch:

Scream 7 arrives after the recent revival films put a modern, meta spin on the slasher, with a new cast at the center and Radio Silence behind the camera. Lillard made it clear he thought that team did strong work, and praised Melissa Barrera and the young ensemble, as well as the directing duo’s vision, but this chapter hits a different register.

He went on to describe his reaction to Williamson’s initial pitch, reflecting on how surreal it was to be asked back after decades of speculation about Stu’s fate:

It’s a thoughtful and surprisingly diplomatic stance to acknowledge the strength of the recent films while making it clear that the seventh entry is operating with a distinctly nostalgic compass. And based on the Without A Paddle star’s comments, audiences responding at early test screenings seem to agree.

Recently, I rewatched the entire series, and several things still hold up, including Lillard's incredible performance as Stu. But it, of course, left me with one of the biggest lingering questions: How is Stu returning at all, given the very clear 'TV to the head' situation back in 1996? But with multiple legacy actors returning—including Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox—and several actors whose characters are not canonically alive, such as David Arquette (Deputy Dewey) and Scott Foley, those questions may be part of the fun.

Whether this next installment answers all of fandom’s long-running theories or throws even more chaos into the mix, Lillard’s enthusiasm makes me think Scream 7 is steering directly into that tone and style that made the series iconic in the first place. And that has this long-running horror movie fan beyond excited.

Ghostface returns when Scream 7 hits the 2026 movie schedule and theaters on February 27, 2026. As for Matthew Lillard, he returns on the 2025 movie release calendar, starring in the Five Nights At Freddy’s 2, hitting theaters on December 5.

I’m not going to sit and say that Without a Paddle, the Seth Green movie from 2004 that co-stars Dax Shepard, Matthew Lillard, and others, is up there with The Godfather or Citizen Kane or anything. However, I do think it’s a funny movie that doesn’t deserve the 15% that it currently holds on Rotten Tomatoes. It helps that the plot involves one of the great mysteries of the 20th Century, one that I’m completely fascinated with, and it features a really fun, slightly more than a cameo role for the late, great Burt Reynolds. Let’s go on this choppy ride…

The Plot Is Built Around The D.B. Cooper Hijacking

Dan Cooper (which almost certainly wasn’t his real name) was a plane hijacker who took control of a flight from Portland, OR to Seattle, WA on November 24th, 1971 by claiming to have a bomb. He demanded $200,000 ($1.6 million or so in 2025 dollars), and four parachutes. After landing in Seattle, authorities gave Cooper, who has become known as D.B. Cooper in the years since, what he wanted, and the plane took off again, after he released the other passengers and the plane refueled.

Cooper demanded the pilots fly to Mexico City, but before long, he opened the rear door of the plane and presumably jumped out, wearing one of the parachutes. He vanished into the night sky somewhere over Oregon and has never been heard from again, and very little of the money has ever been recovered. It’s a mystery that has intrigued many people over the years, including myself. Weirdly, there have not been many fictionalized versions of this incredible story ever put on film. Without a Paddle is one rare exception.

In the movie, three friends, played by Green, Shepard, and Lillard, set out to find out the truth about Cooper and hopefully recover the money. From there, it basically becomes a parody of Deliverance, and that’s what makes Burt Reynolds' appearance in the movie, as Cooper’s “partner,” even better. I love the late Burt Reynolds, especially his work in the ‘70s, so even if this movie isn’t the funniest movie I’ve ever seen, I’ll always love it for that.

My Weird History With The Movie Also Helps

So, here’s my personal backstory with Without a Paddle, and it may help explain why I personally think it’s better than it gets credit for. The first time I saw it was on cable. I’d never even heard of it, but I was flipping channels (like we used to do) and happened upon it. It was probably 15 or 20 minutes into the movie when I found it. I had no idea why these guys were canoeing down a river, and at some point, I picked up on the fact that they were looking for D.B. Cooper’s missing treasure.

It was about the time Reynolds showed up, so I got excited that he could be Cooper. I got this all from vibes, not from the script, so I felt like I was getting an inside joke. It turns out, of course, that this was the plot established all along, but I didn’t know that. It made me love the movie right away. I’ve never wavered, even after watching the full movie a couple of times since. The jokes are corny, and the movie certainly isn’t Caddyshack, or Animal House, or any of the other comedies I consider the GOATs, but it’s fun, and it never slows down. For that, it deserves at least a 25% on Rotten Tomatoes, and I’ll die on that hill. Or in that river, whatever. By the way, you can watch it with the FuelTV add-on with your Prime subscription, if you want to tell me why I’m wrong.

We’re now just a month away from the most highly anticipated upcoming video game adaptations of the year, at least among horror fans, with Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 set to unleash its signature animatronics on a grander scale of destruction and non-grisly murder. Following up on the excellent first trailer revealed previously, FNAF 2 dropped a chilling second promo that at long last gives us our first look at Scream vet Skeet Ulrich within this universe. And it seemingly both confirmed his character’s identity while also changing up some game lore.

Let’s get right down to the fact-building and theorizing, while those who haven’t yet seen the trailer can scroll down to find it.

Skeet Ulrich Confirmed As Henry Emily?

Though the trailer doesn’t actually come out and directly state firm facts about Skeet Ulrich when he pops up on the screen, there are seemingly enough context clues to surmise that the actor is indeed portraying the largely unseen game character Henry Emily, whose claim to fame (or infamy) is being the roboticist who created the animatronics alongside Matthew Lillard’s William Afton, and co-founded the entire Fazbear Entertainment branding. Even though it isn’t explicitly stated, there are clues evident that can support the idea.

The biggest, of course, is that he references his daughter dying in an “accident” that he later believed was the work of Afton. In the games, his daughter Charlotte, or Charlie, was indeed one of Afton’s first victims, and her soul took over the Puppet animatronic. Naturally, we also don’t get confirmation that the daughter’s name is the same as the game’s.

As well, Henry is generally depicted as wearing glasses and having disheveled facial hair, which Skeet Ulrich is rocking in the trailer. So while I’ll allow for this character to be revealed as someone other than Henry Emily, I’m going to be very annoyed if the upcoming horror movie avoids that reveal.

Henry's Accomplishments Alongside William Seem To Have Been Written Out

While this is just as up in the air as Henry Emily's confirmed identity, the scene previewed with Skeet Ulrich in the Five Nights at Freddy's 2 trailer also features several newspaper clippings that were saved over the years. The ones that show up long enough to read through their text are almost entirely about William Afton's efforts in creating the Fazbear-verse, and I didn't catch a single mention of Henry Emily's name.

In fact, the articles make it sound entirely like William Afton is a singular genius who brought all of the brainpower and stragetic angling to Fazbear Entertainment. But is that reflective of realize, or just the way journalists whitewashed the company's origin story to avoid highlighting Henry Emily losing a child. Or perhaps Afton himself ruined Herny's reputation publicly, to the point where he was retconned from the history books.

I'm anxious to learn what the real story is here, since that could be the difference between Ulrich playing a mourning father or a rage-filled former business associate AND a mourning father. The second one might have him making more of an effort to help Mike and Vanessa take Afton and his toys down for good.

Check out the PG-13-rated sequel's full trailer below.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 will take over theaters starting on December 5.

It's Halloween season, which means for many of us it's time to re-watch the best horror movies. That includes the Scream films, which are still popular and continue to arrive in theaters to this day. But there's nothing like the original, which introduced us to final girl Sidney Prescott, as well as OG Ghostface killers Billy Loomis and Stu Macher. The latter was played by Matthew Lillard, who recently responded to fans shipping those killers as a romantic couple. What's more, he even has a fun nickname for Billy and Stu.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, but fans are hyped that Lillard will somehow be back as Stu, despite his death at the end of the first movie (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription). At a recent convention appearance with co-star Skeet Ulrich (via TikTok), the Scooby-Doo actor addressed the theory that Stu and Billy were actually a secret couple. In his words:

Honestly, I didn't expect this answer. It's one thing to acknowledge this fan theory about Stu and Billy, but it's another for Matthew Lillard to so wholeheartedly agree with it. And now I'm going to have a hard time re-watching Scream without referring to these original Ghostface killers as "The First Husbands of Horror." It's really got a ring to it.

While Billy and Stu's romantic relationship isn't technically canon in the Scream franchise, that hasn't stopped Lillard from embracing the fan theory as it has become popular over the years. After getting the actors' approval, I have to assume that shippers will get even more passionate about the subject than before.

This particular fan theory came from the devotion that Stu had for Billy throughout the first Scream movie... even if his fellow killer ended up cutting him too deep when trying to frame Sidney. And once the pair confess to the murders (including Sidney's mother), they also end up being a bit touchy-feely. The above shot of the pair of killers is a big reason why moviegoers started shipping these two characters.

As Matthew Lillard said, the idea of Billy and Stu being secretly gay never actually came up on the set of the original Scream. But both he and Skeet Ulrich seem tickled by fan theory, and have embraced it as it has gotten more popular over the years. I just love how much they're into it, tbh.

We'll just have to wait and see if this goes from fan theory to official canon when Matthew Lillard appears in the next upcoming horror movie. The first Scream 7 trailer briefly features his voice, but it's still unclear how Stu will factor into the story. Hopefully, we get information sooner rather than later.

Scream 7 is expected to hit theaters on February 27th as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to wait and hope for some footage of Lillard to arrive. Fingers crossed.

Daredevil: Born Again began on a shocking note this past spring when viewers with a Disney+ subscription saw Bullseye killing Foggy Nelson. The death of this beloved supporting character for Marvel’s Man Without Fear seemed pretty cut and dry, but with flashbacks, dreams/hallucinations, resurrection or maybe even his demise being faked, this doesn’t necessarily close the door on Elden Henson reprising the role. So will that actually happen?

Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios’ head of television and animation, has finally cleared up what Daredevil: Born Again Season 2’s plans are for Foggy. Though if I’m being honest, I’m more interested in Winderbaum revealing who horror heavyweight Matthew Lillard is playing in the upcoming Marvel TV show.

We’re Seeing More Of Foggy Nelson In Daredevil: Born Again

Let’s get the Foggy of it out of the way first. A few weeks ago, Elden Henson informed attendees at an L.A. Comic-Con panel that he would not appear as Foggy Nelson in Daredevil: Born Again. However, apparently there was either a miscommunication or Henson was obligated to keep the truth hidden at the time. Because when EW asked Winderbaum to clarify where things stand for Foggy, he answered:

Well, I’m glad this has been settled. Now, exactly how much we’ll see of Foggy Nelson in Born Again Season 2 and in what form remains to be seen. Regardless, Elden Henson’s portrayal of the character has been popular since we met the MCU’s Foggy in the original Daredevil series a decade ago, so it’s good to know once and for all we’ll see more of it. I just hope that however Foggy resurfaces, it involves him sharing more screen time with Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock and Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page.

Who Matthew Lillard Is Playing In Daredevil: Born Again

During the same interview, Brad Winderbaum also shared the identity of Matthew Lillard’s character in Daredevil: Born Again. Rather than this being someone who originated from the comics, Lillard is playing an original creation for the show who’s going to cross paths with Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk. Winderbaum said:

Daredevil: Born Again marks Lillard’s biggest entry into the superhero genre yet, as he previously voiced Dr. Jason Burr in a few episodes of Beware the Batman. While it’s unclear if Mr. Charles will pose any direct challenge to Matt Murdock in the series, it definitely sounds like he’ll be an obstacle for Fisk. That puts him in good company with the governor of New York, who’s being played by Lili Taylor. Brad Winderbaum continued:

Along with many of Daredevil: Born Again Season 1’s characters returning for Season 2, we’ll also reunite with Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones, who previously teamed up with Matt Murdock in The Defenders. It’s additionally rumored that Elodie Yung will reprise Elektra, who was thought to have died in The Defenders, but that hasn’t been confirmed. We can also expect Bullseye to have a bigger presence in Season 2 after appearing in three Season 1 episodes.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is expected to premiere on Disney+ in March 2026. Whatever ends up going down with Foggy, Mr. Charles and the rest, fans can take comfort knowing that the series will return for a third season.

The horror genre has been thriving for years, to the delight of fans like me. Some of the best horror movies came back to theaters with new sequels, including Wes Craven's Scream. The upcoming seventh movie is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies heading to theaters, especially since it'll include a number of beloved legacy characters. Matthew Lillard will be back as Stu, and recently shared why he's nervous for the slasher to arrive.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, but the hype is real... especially with all the dead legacy characters somehow set to appear. Exactly how Lillard's OG Ghostface will be used remains to be seen, but fan have been debating if Stu was alive for years. During a recent interview with People, the 55 year-old actor shared his nerves about the forthcoming sequel, offering:

Points were made. Stu is a beloved part of the Scream franchise, and Matthew Lillard's energetic performance in the 1996 original is a big reason why Craven's masterpiece worked so well. So reprising that role does carry the risk of ruining the fan favorite killer's legacy.

The last two Scream movies, which are streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, were largely focused on the new characters, especially the Carpenter sisters. But the seventh movie is bringing back Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott as its protagonist. And she'll be joined by other legacy characters like David Arquette's Dewey, who died in the 2022 movie.

Later in that same interview, Lillard spoke more about his return to Scream, offering:

The risk is there, but I have to assume that longtime horror fans like myself are going to be especially invested in Scream 7. Moviegoers were bummed when Neve Campbell was missing from Scream VI, so her return alongside other legacy actors is a thrilling concept. But whether or not the movie's director Kevin Williamson manages to land the plane remains to be seen.

Scream is one of my favorite movies of all time, and I'm so curious about how Lillard's Stu Macher will be used in the latest sequel. While there's a risk to honoring the franchise's past in this way, director Kevin Williamson wrote the OG movie and knows the franchise well. We'll have to wait and see how his first directorial effort for the property works out.

All will be revealed when Scream 7 hits theaters on February 27th as part of the 2026 movie release list. There are rumors we'll get the first trailer soon, so hopefully they come to fruition.

If Matthew Lillard wasn’t already considered a horror icon, his slate of upcoming horror projects would only help cement that status, as he’s reprising both his breakout role of Stu Machen in Scream 7, as well as his antagonistic role of William Afton in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (which will feature a Scream-tastic reunion with Skeet Ulrich). Not to mention Mike Flanagan’s Carrie TV show. But despite all his spooky successes, Lillard also wants to make his mark in live-action superhero fare.

He’ll first be capitalizing on action-packed comic book adaptations when he arrives in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, although fans have yet to learn who he’ll actually be playing for his MCU debut. Appearing at Los Angeles Comic-Con across the last weekend in September, Lillard confirmed that he won’t be seen wearing any lycra, indicating he won’t be donning superhero costuming. He also made it clear that he’s both willing and eager to reteam with his Scooby-Doo director James Gunn for a role in the DCU. Here’s how he put it (via Screenrant):

Indeed, if not for James Gunn, Matthew Lillard's career might have turned out completely differently, seeing as how those two movies secured him as the voice of Shaggy Rogers in dozens and dozens of animated shows, movies and video games. That was more than 20 years ago, though, so it seems to me like it's time for Gunn to slot Lillard into another role that he'll get to continue with for the next couple of decades.

Lillard thinks his talents are best encased in projects that go big, as opposed to run of the mill procedural shows, and I'm in full agreement on that one. The actor continued, making sure to ward off further speculation that he may be playing someone with powers in the MCU.

Given how animated Matthew Lillard has been throughout his career, I think there's one clear and perfect choice for how he should be utilized within the DCU, assuming James Gunn is willing to stretch the fabric of his fictional universe.

I Think Matthew Lillard Would Be Absolutely Perfect As Plastic Man

With both the live-action and animated version of mystery-solving pseudo-stoner Shaggy, as well as with Scream's Stu and many other roles, Lillard's sense of humor and comedic timing are very often on display, even in projects that arent' outwardly comedies. His talents for bringing levity to any given scene are undeniable, so it would be a crime to affix him to any of DC's more humorless characters.

As such, I'm all in on Matthew Lillard for Plastic Man, who has long been one of comics' most humorous (and surprisingly powerful) superheroes, thanks in part to the hero's malleable body that can morph into just about any shape conceivable. Prior to the acid-based accident that resulted in his abilities, Patrick "Eel" O'Brien was a two-bit criminal on a downward spiral, but he shifted over to heroism to use his elasticity to help humanity, albeit with some unavoidable groaners.

Check Out Some Of My Favorite Plastic Man Runs

• DC Finest: Plastic Man: The Origin of Plastic Man by Jack Cole (1940s-1950s) - Purchase for $25.49 (Currently 36% off)
• Plastic Man: Rubber Banded - The Deluxe Edition by Kyle Baker and Scott Morse (2003-2006) - Read on Kindle or purchase for $35.54 with Amazon Prime discount
• Plastic Man by Gail Simone and Adriana Melo (2018) - Purchase for $22.60
• Plastic Man No More! by Christopher Cantwell and Alex Lins (2024) - Purchase hardcover collection for $20.14 (Currently 19% off)

LIllard would fill those shoes so perfectly, as he'd easily be able to pull off a layered performance as someone who uses his humor and Justice League inclusion to distract from the more haunted family man hiding within. Even if the DCU wouldn't opt for a more serious tone to the character, I think we can all agree Lillard would have zero trouble taking the wackiness to a full 100%.

If Mike Flanagan's Clayface can bring "pure fucking horror" into DC's live-action fare, then I don't think it's too out there to think that we could get a full-blown comedy as well, with Plastic Man as my ideal choice for the genre. So if someone could just magically smoosh together my wishes with Matthew Lillard's then it would probably save the world. Or at least result in a cool movie or something.

The ‘90s and ‘00s may have served Matthew Lillard well in movies like Scream, She’s All That, and the Scooby-Doo movies. But he’s been knocking it out of the park with his recent roles, like being in the cast of Five Nights at Freddy’s and its sequel, and bringing Stu back from the dead for the seventh Scream movie. In terms of what Lillard is gunning for in his next role, he proposes a gay rom-com with Tom Cruise and feels he’s “got to work on my abs” for it.

Lillard’s well-known roles have shown he could freak us out and make us laugh. But the American actor told US Magazine about a new genre he’d like to venture into for his next role:

I would love to see the SLC Punk! actor make his way into a rom-com. Sure, he’s been a supporting role in the feel-good genre in movies like Summer Catch, Love’s Labour’s Lost, and What Love is. But he deserves to be the object of desire as a leading man, just like any other actor. And like the talented actor said, the man “needs love” on the big screen too.

If Matthew Lillard has pictured himself starring in a romantic comedy, that must mean he’s imagined who would star opposite him. Fortunately, the Without a Paddle actor gave the publication a couple of ideas, and one of them involves Tom Cruise:

You’ve got to love Matthew Lillard’s answer. Not only for thinking of prepping himself already for any shirtless scenes, but for being open to starring in a gay rom-com. And with Tom Cruise! Well, the Mission: Impossible star has led high-grossing non-MCU movies, and the serious actor has proven to crush comedic roles. So, I understand why Lillard would think of Cruise as his leading man.

An LGBTQIA+ rom-com would certainly be a first for both actors. Interestingly enough, one thing Tom Cruise and Matthew Lillard have in common is playing characters that have suggestive homoerotic undertones to fans. For Cruise, one of his hardcore characters was playing Lestat in Interview with the Vampire, who was theorized to harbor intense feelings for Brad Pitt's Louis.

And for Matthew Lillard, fans speculated in Scream that there was some homoerotic subtext between his character, Stu, and Billy. Since both of those movies were made in the ‘90s, when queer characters weren’t as visible as they are today, the two actors can now be free to portray same-sex desire in the rom-com genre that, like Lillard said, we could use more of.

The Good Girls actor may feel like he’s got to do some ab work if he were to star in a gay rom-com with Tom Cruise. But his chemistry with the action star would surely speak volumes to audiences more than any six-pack could. While we’ve had great LGBTQIA+ rom-coms lately like Bros, Fire Island, and Red, White, & Royal Blue, we should still see more of this positive representation contribute to the genre.

Make sure to see the “scream king” actor return to the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise with its 2025 movie release sequel, heading to theaters on December 5th.

One of the upcoming horror movies we’re most looking forward to next year is the next Scream installment, which will officially feature a mix of legacy and new stars. On top of word that Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott, Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers and David Arquette’s Dewey Riley are back in the scary movie series, Matthew Lillard's Stu is another big return. When the actor recalled getting the call to reprise his role, he shared the funny answer why the character has been benched so many Scream movies.

Why Did It Take So Long For Matthew Lillard To Return To Scream?

In a new interview with Us Magazine, Lillard happily reported that Scream 7 is “smart” and has a "familiarity" to the original film because the first movie’s writer, Kevin Williamson, is directing it. The actor also revealed this funny story:

Now this is too good. If you’ve been following the Scream franchise over the years, you probably know that there have been a lot of theories pointing to Lillard’s Stu being alive, but another Scream movie has yet to explore it. How hilarious is it that Lillard and the fans actually wanting him to come back actually might have hurt his chances?

Matthew Lillard Has Been Claiming Stu Is Alive For Ages

See, Lillard has always been a fan-favorite in the Scream films. The actor said earlier this year that he’s been asked “literally 1,000 times a day since the first movie” if his character might return. And, oftentimes the actor has publicly said over the years that he thinks Stu has been alive all along and never actually died at the end of the first movie. Finally, three decades after the first movie came out, fans will finally get an answer. Here’s what Lillard said about his reaction to finally being asked back:

Scream 7 is the third movie in the franchise from Radio Silence Productions, which has had James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick penning the scripts and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett directing. This time Busick is behind the script and Kevin Williamson is directing after writing the original movie and the fourth film.

Along with original Scream cast members Campbell, Cox, Arquette and Lillard being in the movie, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Scott Foley are returning. Joel McHale, Anna Camp, Mckenna Grace and Celeste O’Connor are among the new cast members who have been announced. The movie hits theaters on February 26, 2026.

The horror genre has been having a renaissance for years, to the joy of fans like myself. Some of the best horror movies have returned to theaters with new sequels, including Wes Craven's Scream. The seventh movie is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies, partly thanks to its inclusion of OGs like Matthew Lillard's Stu Macher. The 55 year-old actor recently shared his excitement over coming back, while also maintaining that the new slasher is 'not gonna ruin the franchise.' Well, that's a relief.

What we know about Scream 7 is very limited, but fans are excited to see a bunch of legacy characters appear. Fans are hyped Neve Campbell will be back as Sidney Prescott, but Lillard will also somehow return, despite Stu's death in the first movie. While appearing at Silver Scream Con (via Bloody Disgusting), he shared his reaction to getting the call, offering:

While Lillard had a sneaky cameo in 2022's Scream as the Ghostface with a flamethrower, Kevin Williamson's forthcoming slasher will seemingly bring back Stu. Exactly how this will work remains a mystery, but fans are hyped about seeing the fan favorite killer alongside iconic scream queen Neve Campbell.

There are countless questions about Scream 7, especially since Stu isn't the only legacy character returning from the dead. Scott Foley will be back as Roman Bridger, as will David Arquette, despite Dewey's brutal death in the 2022 movie. While we continue to wonder how these returns will go down, Lillard assured fans of the quality of the next sequel. In his words:

Well, that's a relief. Given the property's wild success and iconography, longtime fans like me don't want to see a bad sequel arrive and tarnish its legacy. Even though Neve Campbell wasn't in Scream VI, that sequel's plot twists, NYC setting, and brutal Ghostface(s) still made it a success.

While the pressure is on for Scream 7, there are a ton of OGs involved in the project. That includes director Kevin Williamson, who wrote the screenplay for the first two movies and served as a producer on the recent ones. If anyone understands how to make a good Scream movie it's him, which might be part of why Lillard is so confident about it.

All will be revealed when Scream 7 hits theaters on February 27th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Since it's just a few months away, hopefully we get more information about the slasher sooner rather than later... including how TF those dead characters are going to factor in.

It seems like so long ago that horror icon Matthew Lillard teased a Five Nights at Freddy's sequel with CinemaBlend, and we still have many months to go before the highly anticipated sequel hits the back end of the 2025 movie schedule. But a new rumor about a Scream reunion for Matthew Lillard has surfaced that is so exciting, I would wait a whole other year to watch the movie in order to make sure the rumor was legitimate. Or maybe like six months? Three months, minimum.

We have to take this with a big animatronic grain of salt for the moment, if only to avoid bursting from enthusiasm, but notorious Hollywood insider/scooper DanielRPK shared the potential bombshell (via ComicBook.com) that Scream co-villain and Scream VI mental apparition Skeet Ulrich has joined Five Nights at Freddy's 2, and while we probably shouldn't expect to see him once again sharing a murderous persona with Lillard in this franchise, Ulrich's alleged role is massive within the lore. THE LORE!

Skeet Ulrich Will Reportedly Play The Co-Creator Of Fazbear Entertainment

The fact that Five Nights at Freddy's landed Matthew Lillard as its key antagonist William Afton was arguably the best move the first film made, beyond the exquisite animatronics from Jim Henson's Creature Shop. So it definitely makes twisted cinematic logic for the upcoming Blumhouse movie to also utilize some hyper-specific casting for another one of the game franchise's most important lore anchors.

Skeet Ulrich will reportedly be portraying animatronics engineer and Fazbear Entertainment co-founder Henry Emily, a.k.a. The Cassette Man, a character whose existence was largely give to fans in a piecemealed fashion through the novel trilogy, audio recordings and other game ephemera. He's the yang to Afton's yin, and did not aim for his animatronic creations to be used for evil, resulting in the death of his daughter Charlotte, which is the lynchpin in Henry's story.

Not to go too deep into the lore, since it's impossible to know what might be adapted for the live-action film, and what details will remain exclusive to the source material. It's not even known exactly how Henry will factor into the movie's timeline, though the go-to assumption is that the film will incorporate flashbacks that depict the pizzeria's origins, with both Henry and William sharing the screen. That's the Scream dream, of course, and also makes sense in terms of Lillard's character being stabbed and left for dead in the back office in the first film.

Matthew Lillard has shared that the sequel's creative team put in the work to make sure it was a better movie than its critically dumped-on predecessor, and I can't think of a sweeter fix than bringing another Scream alum into this narrative. And I mean, if the producers also happened to cast Neve Campbell as Henry's wife Mrs. Emily, they should just come to my house and take my money already.

Watch The First Five Nights At Freddy's 2 Teaser

After a longer than expected development period for the sequel, Jason Blum unveiled the first teaser for FNAF 2 in April, which featured Lillard and no Ulrich. But hopefully the next batch of footage will give fans more to gnaw on. Watch the teaser below!

Arguably the most rockin' and sockin' upcoming horror movie in the pipeline, at least where possessed cupcake bots are concerned, Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is set to jumpscare fans into oblivion on December 5, 2025.

One of the most anticipated upcoming horror movies on the way next year is the seventh Scream movie. This time around, the return of Ghostface is especially exciting because a number of legacy stars are joining Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott and new cast members, including one of the first faces behind the mask: Matthew Lillard. When the original Scream cast member was hit with a hard truth about his legacy in the franchise, he had the best reaction.

When Matthew Lillard walked the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of The Life Of Chuck this week, a journalist with Entertainment Tonight stated how the original Scream is about to turn 30 years old next year while framing a question about his upcoming return. Here’s how the actor responded:

Matthew Lillard was all smiles in the interview as he called the statement “the rudest thing,” but it goes to show the actor was in complete shock the iconic movie is close to being three decades old. Saying that kind of thing does certainly expose Lillard’s age (he’s somehow 55, even though he certainly doesn’t look it), and it doesn’t seem like he was prepared to contemplate on the passage of time. I’m sure it feels like just yesterday he played Stu!

Scream premiered in Los Angeles on December 18, 1996 before opening wide in theaters two days later to what was considered a low box office haul in its first weekend. However, the Wes Craven horror movie started to become a success thanks to word of mouth and ended up being in the top ten movies for nine weeks total, making it the 13th highest-grossing movie of 1996 (per Box Office Mojo).

Scream was one of Llllard’s first movies before he later starred in his other famous roles in SLC Punk!, She’s All That and Scooby-Doo. But since his character died in the first movie, he’s not been able to return to the franchise since then. After years of fans theorizing about Stu’s death and Lillard fanning the flames that Stu could be alive, the actor is officially returning for Scream 7. Here’s what he said about being back in the franchise:

Lillard has been dodging spoilers left and right since he was cast! Scream 7 is a curious one, because not only is Lillard back as Stu, Scott Foley’s Roman Bridger, who also died in a prior film, is coming back too, and so is David Arquette’s Dewey Riley, who died in the fifth one. It does beg to question how the heck the writers are going to pull off having so many dead characters somehow come back to life for the next movie, but we’re certainly ready to find out.

Scream 7 is being helmed by the original Scream writer Kevin Williamson from a screenplay by Guy Busick, who also did the last two Scream movies with James Vanderbilt. It was filmed earlier this year and is set to hit theaters on February 27, 2026.

The 2025 movie schedule promises to be a good time for Matthew Lillard fans, between his role in The Life of Chuck and his return for Five Night’s at Freddy’s 2. Previously, Mr. Lillard’s comments on that “expanded” horror sequel were pretty enticing for fans awaiting this upcoming Blumhouse movie. That sentiment seems to have only grown through a new interview, as the man behind sinister slasher William Afton is revving up the hype engines once more.

While speaking to ComingSoon on behalf of Quest’s End Druid Whiskey, the latest release from his brand Find Familiar Spirits, the returning cast member was clearly excited about Five Nights at Freddy's 2’s planned December 2025 debut. In that vein, here’s what Matthew Lillard said about writer/franchise creator Scott Cawthon, and his intent with the gateway horror sequel:

I think anyone who followed director Emma Tammi's impressive predecessor remembers some of the nitpicks that were mixed in with the praise. The debate over whether the Josh Hutcherson-led horror thriller was "scary enough" was a topic that was greatly discussed - right beside the matter of how professional critics didn't seem to get the appeal.

For as much credit as our Five Nights at Freddy’s villain gives to the screenwriter of both installments, I think we also need to realize how much Matthew Lillard gets the series as well. He certainly proved that point when highlighting what created Five Nights at Freddy’s critics vs. audience divide.

And by acknowledging that Mr. Cawthon really knows his way around his own creation, it only further backs that claim. Reading this Scream legend's take on continuing this modern horror hit's story only gets better thanks to this additional remark meant to hype up the audience:

Just as nobody saw Five Nights at Freddy’s 2023 box office success coming, there’s not telling how big its follow-up will be when it debuts. Considering producer Jason Blum’s acknowledgement of how same day streaming limited Five Nights at Freddy's theatrical performance, another lesson on listening to the audience was banked in the books.

Which is why on December 5th, we’ll all be able to return to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza through Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, only in theaters. And it’s no surprise to say that Matthew Lillard will be back; because after all… he always comes back.

The horror genre has been thriving for years now, to the delight of fans like me. Some of the best horror movies have gotten new entries as a result of this renaissance, including Wes Craven's Scream. The last two movies (which are streaming with a Paramount+ subscription) were successful, and a seventh film is currently in production. Moviegoers were shocked when it was revealed that Matthew Lillard was returning as Stu, and now he's gotten honest about his feelings over the gig.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, so there are countless questions about the upcoming horror movie. This is specially true since a number of dead characters are expected to return, such as Lillard's OG Ghostface Stu Macher. While appearing at 90s Con (via People), the 55 year-old actor spoke about the pressure involved in finally returning, saying:

Honestly, I totally get this. Wes Craven's 1996 original Scream movie is a truly outstanding piece of film, and inspired the entire franchise that would follow. Not only that, but his performance is universally acclaimed, so much so that fans theorized Stu was alive all this time.

Exactly how Scream 7 is going to utilize this dead legacy characters remains unclear for the moment. But there are multiple Ghostface actors signed on to return, as well as David Arquette's Dewey. Later in the same panel appearance, Lillard spoke more about his fears, offering:

Of course, it's hard to imagine the actor somehow not crushing it as Stu Macher in Scream 7. Lillard has continued to put out wildly charismatic performances in the decades that have followed, including a recent return to horror with Five Nights at Freddy's (streaming with a Peacock subscription). But I'm feeling the pressure of sticking the landing and I'm just a fan.

While we don't know much about its contents, it certainly seems like the seventh Scream movie will lean into the franchise's history. Neve Campbell's return as Sidney Prescott thrilled moviegoers, as did the news that OG writer Kevin Williamson would be behind the camera as the film's director. Add in dead characters from the franchise's tenure in theaters, and it certainly seems like the seventh movie will have tons of payoff for longtime fans.

All will be revealed when Scream 7 is released on February 27th, 2026. But since it's not part of the 2025 movie release list, we might have to wait a while before we get some juicy details.

With all the various IPs in the world, it’s somewhat surprising that Hollywood can’t go more than a few years without attempting to bring Scooby-Doo and his sleuthing compadres back to audiences in one form or another. The most recent large-scale projects have been 2020’s animated feature Scoob! And Mindy Kaling’s adult-skewing animated comedy Velma, which was canceled after two seasons on Max, and didn’t actually feature the talking Great Dane. Now it’s rapparently Retflix’s rurn.Errr, it’s Netflix’s turn.

The streaming giant has surprisingly confirmed an eight-episode series order for a live-action ghost-hunting, mystery-solving adventure centering on Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne and Velma, though it sounds like it’ll take place before Mystery Inc. fully forms. Let’s take a look at some of the early details revealed by Deadline so far before I allow my excitement to ferment into worry.

• The untitled Scooby-Doo series will be an origin story for how Mystery Inc.'s members first became friends and partnered up on solving a spooky case.
• The early synopsis: "During their final summer at camp, old friends Shaggy and Daphne get embroiled in a haunting mystery surrounding a lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder. Together with the pragmatic and scientific townie, Velma, and the strange, but ever so handsome new kid, Freddy, they set out to solve the case that is pulling each of them into a creepy nightmare that threatens to expose all of their secrets."
• The live-action series is being developed and written by Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg, who have worked on such live-action adaptations as Neflix's Cowboy Bebop, the two TMNT films, and more, with G.I. Joe: Ever Vigilant as one of their other future projects.

As a lifelong fans of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? and its myriad follow-ups, I am inherently pumped about this new project, and I think there's a lot of ways that a live-action Mystery Inc. show could work amazingly well. But there's just one issue...

No Future Shaggy Actor Will Ever Top Matthew Lillard, Live-Action Or Otherwise

Though one's mileage will no doubt vary when it comes to how successful the live-action Scooby-Doo and its Monsters Unleashed sequel were, it's impossible to deny how excellent Matthew Lillard is at personifying the semi-stoner goofball Shaggy in both James Gunn films. I definitely adore Linda Cardellini's Velma as well, and feel that Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar were solid as Fred and Daphne.

But it doesn't get better than Lillard, and he went on to continue excelling in that role over the following DECADES in a slew of animated TV shows, video games, straight-to-DVD movies and beyond. He even popped up as Shaggy in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Mad, Lego Dimensions, Robot Chicken, Jellystone and more. In a post-Casey Kasem world, Matthew Lillard IS Shaggy.

And unless this show somehow works some Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp magic where Lillard and other actors play younger roles without even trying to explain it away with logic, this new Netflix series means that someone else is going to step into the role, and with all the odds immediately stacked against them.

That said, here's hoping Netflix hires Matthew Lillard as some kind of consultant for the new show so that he can at least school the new Shaggy actor in how to do it right.

The news about a new live-action Scooby-Doo show is all the more surprising after everything that’s gone on in recent years at Warner Bros. and Max in relation to animated franchises and projects. For one, the semi-sequel Scoob! Holiday Haunt was canceled outright alongside Batgirl after nearly the entire movie had been completed, solely so its studio could write off the costs. More recently, WB woes have been tied to the Looney Tunes franchise, which has been all but eradicated from Max nearly two years after the live-action hybrid feature Coyote Vs. Acme was scrapped.

Here's hoping for the best when it comes to casting for this show, and that there are plenty of Scooby Snacks for those of us who are nervous about hearing any of it. In the meantime, there are plenty of mysterious and spooky shows on the 2025 TV schedule to keep everyone busy.

Matthew Lillard knows a thing or two about surviving some of the best horror movies. After all, he played one of Scream’s most iconic killers, and he’s set to return for the upcoming Scream VII. But what if Ghostface came for another one of his classic characters? According to Lillard, Scooby-Doo’s Shaggy wouldn’t just survive one of the iconic slasher movies; he’d be the first one out of there. And, honestly, his reasoning is solid.

It was at MegaCon 2025 that the beloved Scooby-Doo actor shared his hilarious take on how Shaggy Rogers would handle being hunted by Ghostface. While many scary movie victims make the mistake of sticking around when things start going south, the Five Nights at Freddy’s actor argues that Shaggy’s instinct for self-preservation would kick in immediately. In the words of the actor (via People), Scooby’s best mate wouldn’t be an easy target:

Honestly, he’s not wrong. Unlike most horror movie protagonists who make bafflingly bad decisions (splitting up, investigating noises, running upstairs instead of out the door), Shaggy would immediately nope out of the situation. And let’s be real—his track record for escaping monsters speaks for itself.

For decades, Scooby-Doo has given us some of the best animated mysteries and, if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Shaggy, it’s that he has an almost supernatural ability to escape danger, and old men in masks pretending to be ghosts. Shag and Scoob have a survival rate that the best horror characters could only dream of.

Even though the Mystery Inc. gang usually unmasks villains instead of facing supernatural killers, Matthew Lillard’s argument holds up. Shaggy would absolutely do what horror movie characters rarely do—run and never look back.

The beloved Hanna-Barbera cartoon has had its share of crazy cartoon crossovers. Still, it’s unlikely we’ll ever get a Scream/Scooby-Doo mashup, as fun as it is to imagine how the "meddling kids" would handle Ghostface. Given the SLC Punk! alum’s take, Shaggy would be long gone before things got too dangerous—though, knowing Scooby-Doo’s history, he’d probably end up accidentally catching the killer in the end.

The Michigan-born performer, now 55, is set to reprise his role as Stu Macher in some form for Scream 7, as the movie is bringing back a ton of legacy characters. It's great to see him still having fun with both of his most famous characters. Whether he’s playing a villain in the classic horror movie franchise or a beloved cartoon icon, one thing’s clear: Lillard will always be a fan favorite.

You can revisit Matthew Lillard in the original Scream trilogy, which is streamable on Max. As for the next installment, it's set to hit theaters on February 27, 2026. Until then, check out our 2025 release schedule to see what other upcoming horror movies are releasing soon.

In any case-of-the-week procedural, you get a slew of guest stars popping in and out. However, in The Good Wife, the army of talent Robert and Michelle King’s show assembled to support the cast of regulars is next level. From actors we already knew and loved when the show was airing on CBS in the 2010s to performers who have since become A-list names, this list is really a who’s-who of Hollywood’s finest talents.

Pedro Pascal - Nathan Landry - 6 Episodes

These days, we know Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic in the Fantastic Four or Joel in The Last of Us. However, before all that – and even before he died on Game of Thrones – he played the prosecutor Nathan Landry in six episodes of The Good Wife across Seasons 1 (Episodes 8, 13, 14 and 15) and 2 (Episodes 1 and 12).

Cristin Milioti - Onya Eggertson - 1 Episode

A handful of years before she was revealed as the mother of the How I Met Your Mother cast and over a decade before she stunned us all with her portrayal of Sofia Falcone in The Penguin, Cristin Milioti played the paranoid Onya Eggertson in Season 2, Episode 1 of The Good Wife.

Brian Tyree Henry - Randall Simmons - 1 Episode

In Season 2, Episode 2, Brian Tyree Henry plays Randall Simmons, a man Will and Alicia defend in military court. Of course, after this brief role, the actor went on to have an illustrious career as he starred in the hit show Atlanta and films like Causeway (for which he earned a 2023 Oscar nomination).

Rachel Brosnahan - Caitlin Fenton - 1 Episode

Rachel Brosnahan is Lois Lane in James Gunn’s Superman, and before that, she was The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Before those career-defining fast-talking roles, she played Caitlin Fenton, a client Alicia worked with during Season 2, Episode 6.

Michael J. Fox - Louis Canning - 26 Episodes

I think there’s an argument to be made that The Good Wife should be considered one of Michael J. Fox’s best projects. Yes, there’s Family Ties, Back to the Future and Spin City. However, his cunning and sly lawyer Louis Canning is an incredible character who he plays to perfection in 26 episodes across Seasons 2 through 7.

Ana Gasteyer - Judge Patrice Lessner - 5 Episodes

Making sure the lawyers say “in my opinion” in their various statements is Judge Patrice Lessner’s signature move, and it’s hilarious. That funny element of this character is perfect, too, considering she’s played in Seasons 1, 2, 4 and 6 by Saturday Night Live alum and comedy genius Ana Gasteyer.

Mike Colter - Lemond Bishop - 21 Episodes

Mike Colter has become a Michelle and Robert King repertory player thanks to his leading role in the show Evil, and you likely also recognize him for playing the titular Luke Cage in the Marvel series. However, before that, he played the drug lord Lemond Bishop in 21 episodes of The Good Wife between Seasons 1 and 6.

Melissa Benoist - Molly - 1 Episode

I was introduced to Melissa Benoist when she appeared on Glee. Then, The CW’s Supergirl made her a household name. However, long before all that, she had a small guest starring role on The Good Wife as Molly, Cary Agos’ first cousin, in Season 2, Episode 9.

David Oyelowo - Judge Edward Weldon - 1 Episode

From Selma to Lawmen: Bass Reeves, David Oyelowo has become well known for playing very powerful people. That was true back in 2010, too, when he played Judge Edward Weldon in Season 2, Episode 11 of The Good Wife.

Jeremy Strong - Matt Becker - 5 Episodes

Long before playing the “eldest boy” in the cast of Succession and winning an Emmy for his portrayal of Kendall Roy in the HBO hit, Jeremy Strong played pollster Matt Becker in five episodes of The Good Wife. While we’ve come to know this actor for his big roles in film and television, his early career features this fun, smaller and memorable character who appeared in Seasons 2 (Episodes 13, 15, 16 and 17) and 4 (Episode 21) of the CBS hit.

Rita Wilson - Viola Walsh - 6 Episodes

There’s a rotating cast of entertaining lawyers who pop in from time to time to be a thorn in the side of Lockhart/Gardner. This includes Michael J. Fox and Martha Plimpton’s iconic defense attorneys. It also includes Rita Wilson’s lawyer, Viola Walsh, who was featured in six episodes of the show between Seasons 2 and 6.

America Ferrera - Natalie Flores - 4 Episodes

The year after Ugly Betty ended, America Ferrera joined the cast of The Good Wife for three episodes in Season 2 (Episodes 15, 18 and 20), then popped up again during Season 5, Episode 8. She played student Natalie Flores in the show. After that, she went on to lead the comedy Superstore and played a major role in the cast of 2023’s Barbie.

Taye Diggs - Dean Levine-Wilkins - 3 Episodes

I was introduced to Taye Diggs thanks to his role as the Bandleader in one of the best musicals, Chicago. He’s also very well known for films like House on Haunted Hill, Rent, and Set It Up. So, it was fun to come see him play on The Good Wife when he appeared in Season 6, Episodes 2, 3 and 5 as the lawyer Dean Levine-Wilkins.

Sarah Silverman - Stephanie Engler - 1 Episode

Sarah Silverman had been in the comedy game for a long time before playing Stephanie Engler in Season 2, Episode 22 of The Good Wife. And she brought that sense of humor to the show while also showing off her more dramatic side while playing this client of Lockhart/Gardner.

Michael Kelly - Mickey Gunn - 2 Episodes

Michael Kelly is one of those actors who seemingly has shown up in everything. He’s a well-known character actor who has been in projects like Jack Ryan, Lioness, The Penguin, House of Cards and so much more. And in Season 3, Episodes 2 and 8 of The Good Wife he played Mickey Gunn, a political strategist who spent a lot of time verbally sparring with Alan Cumming’s Eli Gold.

Sterling K. Brown - Andrew Boylan - 1 Episode

Sterling K. Brown is a staple on television, thanks to his starring roles in This Is Us and Hulu’s Paradise. However, as he was coming up as an actor, he guest-starred on a whole bunch of network procedurals, including The Good Wife, where he played complicated eyewitness Andrew Boylan in Season 3, Episode 4.

Meghann Fahy - Shelby Hale - 1 Episode

Meghann Fahy’s leading role in Freeform’s The Bold Type introduced me to her, then she broke big because she was part of The White Lotus’ Season 2 cast. In the lead-up to all that, she guest-starred in Season 3, Episode 6 of The Good Wife as Shelby Hale.

Matthew Perry - Mike Kresteva - 3 Episodes

Matthew Perry’s Mike Kresteva proved to be a snarky adversary of Alicia in his introductory episode (Season 3, Episode 19). And seeing him come back in Season 4, Episodes 1 and 18, was always fun! Overall, while the actor brought the sarcastic sense of humor we know and love him for thanks to Friends, this show also let him show off a more dramatic side.

Kristin Chenoweth - Peggy Byrne - 2 Episodes

The Good Wife loves its Broadway guest stars, and one of their biggest gets on this front was Kristin Chenoweth. The Tony winner and Wicked alum played Peggy Byrn in Season 4, Episodes 1 and 6 and it was always fun to see her interact with Alan Cumming’s Eli Gold.

Nathan Lane - Clarke Hayden - 15 Episodes

In the beginning (Season 4), Clarke Hayden is a trustee assigned to Lockheart/ Gardner, and he worked on their horrendous financial situation. Later, he worked with the firm as a lawyer. This character who appears in 15 episodes across Seasons 4 and 5 is played by the remarkable Nathan Lane, who you most definitely know from his legendary work in films like The Birdcage, The Producers and The Lion King.

Carrie Preston - Elsbeth Tascioni - 14 Episodes

Carrie Preston’s Elsbeth Tascioni was so iconic on The Good Wife and The Good Fight that she got her own show. After starring in 14 episodes of the flagship show across every season (except Season 2) and five episodes of the spinoff and winning an Emmy for her work, the Kings created Elsbeth, a hit CBS show based around Preston’s lawyer-turned-crime-solver.

Stockard Channing - Veronica Loy - 11 Episodes

Who do you hire to play Julianna Margulies’ on-screen mother? Stockard Channing, of course. In 11 episodes across Seasons 4, 5, 6, and 7, the Grease actress appeared as Veronica Loy, the mom of our leading lady, Alicia Florrick.

Will Patton - Mike Tascioni - 4 Episodes

Elsbeth talks a lot about her ex-husband and her son. While we didn’t meet her kid, Teddy, until Elsbeth, we did meet her former spouse, Mike Tascioni, in four episodes of The Good Wife during Season 7, Episodes 15, 16, 17 and 19. He was played by Will Patton, who you likely recognize from one of the best sports movies, Remember the Titans, and shows like Yellowstone.

Parker Posey - Vanessa Gold - 3 Episodes

Who can go toe-to-toe with Alan Cumming and play his ex? Parker Posey, of course. The indie film darling played Eli Gold’s ex-wife in Season 3, Episodes 6, 15 and 20, and she was the perfect person to play this vital character in the political consultant’s story.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph - Margie - 1 Episode

Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph appeared in one episode of The Good Wife, Season 4, Episode 21, to be exact. She played Margie on the show. These days, she’s best known for her turns in The Holdover, Dolemite is My Name and Only Murders in the Building, so it’s cool to think that this CBS procedural was one of her first-ever on-screen gigs.

Gillian Jacobs - Sonia - 1 Episode

In an almost blink and you’ll miss it role, Gillian Jacobs (of Community fame) appeared in the pilot of The Good Wife as Alicia and Cary’s assistant.

Christina Ricci - Therese Dodd - 1 Episode

Before The Good Wife, we knew Christina Ricci from The Addams Family and Casper. In more recent years, she and the Yellowjackets cast are all the rage. However, for one episode in 2012, Season 4, Episode 7, to be exact, she played comedienne Therese Dodd in the hit CBS drama.

Wallace Shawn - Charles Lester - 3 Episodes

We know and love Wallace Shawn for saying “inconceivable” in The Princess Bride, and we also adore him for his roles in The Incredibles, Toy Story and more. We also know and love him for playing the Lemond Bishop’s lawyer, Charles Lester, in both The Good Wife and The Good Fight. And for the sake of this story, he was specifically in three episodes of the flagship series, appearing in Season 4, Episode 16, Season 5, Episode 13 and Season 6, Episode 22.

Kyle MacLachlan - Josh Perotti - 4 Episodes

Kyle MacLachlan is a TV legend. Obviously, Twin Peaks is what he’s best known for, and more recently, he and the cast of Fallout have made quite the splash on streaming. Between all that, he appeared in four episodes of The Good Wife (Season 4, Episodes 14 and 15 and Season 6, Episodes 5 and 6). He played Josh Perotti on the show, a federal prosecutor.

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor - Linda Underwood - 1 Episode

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is best known for her work in movies like Origin, King Richard and Nickel Boys, and she’s reached great acclaim for them. In the earlier days of her career, though, she was featured in Season 1, Episode 5 of The Good Wife, where she played Linda Underwood.

Matthew Lillard - Rowby Canton - 2 Episodes

It’s honestly a joy to see Matthew Lillard in anything. Of course, we know him best as one of the original Ghostfaces in Scream and Shaggy from Scooby-Doo, and he’s made waves in recent years for Five Nights at Freddys. However, he can do more than genre work, as proven by his two episodes of The Good Wife (Season 5, Episode 11 and Season 7, Episode 12) where he played musician Rowby Canton.

Vanessa Williams - Courtney Paige - 4 Episodes

Vanessa Williams is well known and loved for her roles on long-lasting shows like Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives. However, she’s also a King repertory player. She appeared in four episodes of The Good Wife, Season 7, Episodes 7 through 10, as CEO Courtney Paige, and then she showed up as a totally different character years later in the spinoff series, Elsbeth.

This list is honestly barely scratching the surface of the iconic actors who have been recruited to guest star on The Good Wife. The list is honestly elite, and it’s always fun to go back and see so many performers during so many different stages of their careers.

We’re just days away from Daredevil: Born Again premiering to Disney+ subscription holders the 2025 TV schedule, but fans can already take comfort knowing this won’t a one-and-done small screen offering like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Echo, among others. The upcoming Marvel TV show has already set for a nine-episode Season 2 and will begin filming soon. Today brings word that Matthew Millard has been cast for the next batch of Born Again episodes, and I already know who I’d like him to play.

First things first, this casting updates comes to us from Deadline, though no details about Lillard’s character were revealed. News of his involvement in Born Again comes a month after it was reported that the actor will appear in Scream 7 alongside Scott Foley. Both men play deceased characters who murdered people as Ghostface, but Lillard is already expertly dodging spoilers on how he’s returning to the horror franchise. He is also set to leave his mark on the 2025 movies schedule by starring opposite Tom Hiddleston in The Life of Chuck.

While many understandably know Matthew Lillard best for playing Shaggy Rogers in the original live-action Scooby-Doo movies and various animated TV shows, he’s also quite skilled at playing villains. Along with Stu Macher, who shared the Ghostface mantle with Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis in the first Scream movie, he most recently showed off his antagonistic chops as William Afton in 2023’s Five Nights at Freddy’s, whom he’ll reprise in the sequel. So I’m hoping that Lillard will also play a villain in Daredevil: Born Again, too. Specifically, I’d like to see him as Mr. Fear.

I should note that four individuals have gone by that moniker in Marvel comics. For the purposes of Born Again, I think Lillard’s take on Mr. Fear should be a blend of Zoltan Drago, the original, and Larry Cranston, who’s been causing trouble as Mr. Fear for the longest amount of time. As the name indicates, Mr. Fear’s M.O. is terrifying his victims and adversaries, which is accomplished through a fear pheromone released by gas pellets, syringes and aerosol sprayers.

Admittedly, the big hitch with making Mr. Fear work in Daredevil: Born Again is that he can’t come across as a ripoff of the Batman villain Scarecrow, who chiefly relies on his fear gas to wreak havoc. I can see this being sidestepped in two ways. First, don’t have Matthew Lillard suit up as Mr. Fear. Treat that as an informal name that his victims or even cohorts refer to him as, but don’t make him into a full-blown costumed supervillain. Second, ditch the fear pheromone and find another way for him to instill fear. It can still come in the form of a drug or administered substance, it just shouldn’t bare any close resemblance to Scarecrow’s fear gas.

As for how a Matthew Lillard-portrayed Mr. Fear would come into the picture in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, that’s hard to say without seeing what unfolds in Season 1, which premieres Tuesday, March 4. Maybe he’s working for Wilson Fisk, maybe he’s causing trouble on the side. Or maybe I’m way off base with Mr. Fear and Lillard is playing someone nowhere remotely close to him. Whatever the case, I’m looking forward to seeing how his character comes into Matt Murdock’s life, for better or worse.

It's a great time to be a scary movie fan, with the genre's renaissance still going strong. Some of the best horror movies returned with new sequels, including Wes Craven's Scream. Anticipation has been steadily building for the upcoming horror movie, especially as casting news keeps trickling out. That includes chatter that Matthew Lillard is somehow returning, and now the Scooby-Doo actor is dodging spoilers and joking about popping back into the beloved franchcise.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, but casting news (especially related to legacy characters) is helping to buoy anticipation. Case in point: chatter about Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley's return to the franchise. While speaking at MegaCon (via People), the OG Ghostface addressed Scream 7, offering:

Honestly, who doesn't want to see Matthew Lillard back in Scream. Despite Stu's apparent death in the first movie, there's been ongoing theories for years about him somehow surviving. What's more, this theory was even addressed between Kirby and Mindy during Scream VI (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription). For now, I'm gonna keep joking that he's a fairy godmother.

The specifics of exactly how Stu might factor into Scream 7 is a total mystery at this point, but Lillard is already doing a great job at keeping the movie's secrets. As his mentioned, he's been hearing this chatter for decades at this point. And since the Scream franchise has always guarded its secrets, smart money says the 55 year-old actor will be keeping things under wraps. Especially since Skeet Ulrichinfamously spoiled the original Scream back in the day.

Of course, hardcore Scream fans will note that Matthew Lillard did recently return to the Scream franchise before this casting. He had a brief voice cameo alongside other legacy actors in the 2022 movie's tribute to Wes Craven. He also had a physical cameo as a flamethrower-wielding Ghostface from one of the fake Stab movies. So perhaps his actual return to the franchise in a significant way shouldn't be all that surprising.

It should be interesting to see what type of role Lillard ends up having in the next Scream movie. While some fans think that Stu survived all along, I wouldn't be surprised if the former Ghostface killers end up appearing as ghosts or visions. After all, Skeet Ulrich showed up as Billy Loomis in the last two movies thanks to Sam's hallucinations. So it really feels like anything is possible.

Hopefully we get more information soon, but it seems like the studio will keep things under wraps. After all, Scream 7 isn't on the 2025 movie release list and will hit theaters February 27, 2026.

It continues to be a great time to be a horror fan, as the genre's renaissance shows no signs of slowing down. Some of the best horror movies have been getting new sequels, including Wes Craven's Scream. All eyes are on what Kevin Williamson is cooking up for the seventh movie, especially after Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley were confirmed to return, despite their characters' respective deaths as Ghostface. And since we're bringing back dead favorites, there's one more I need back ASAP: Parker Posey's Jennifer Jolie.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, which is why the fandom is freaking out over the return of not one, but two dead Ghostfaces for the upcoming horror movie. The "how" of these returns is still a mystery, but I want the incomparable Parker Posey to get in on the fun as Jennifer Jolie. After all, she's arguably the best part of Scream 3.

Posey was a serious scene-stealer throughout the third Scream, which has a much campier tone than its two predecessors. She made it to the third act, but unfortunately was killed by Scott Foley's Roman Bridger before the Ghostface reveal happened. While I don't know how Jennifer Jolie would fit into the current trilogy (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription), why not add her to the mix? The timing is great with Posey appearing on The White Lotus Season 3.

While fans like myself are thrilled to see Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley return to Scream, there are countless questions about how this will fit into the slasher franchise's timeline. There's been a long-standing debate about whether or not Stu actually died in the first movie, with Kevin Williamson himself confirming that he was dead. So perhaps Stu will appear in a vision from another character, or even in a flashback through de-aging? The same questions also surround Foley's Roman who was the only Ghostface killer to work alone.

Of course, the current Scream trilogy has brought back dead characters before. Namely through the visions Melissa Barrera's Sam had of her father Billy Loomis. Skeet Ulrich shot both of those movies, and was digitally de-aged to look like a teenage Billy in the hallucinations.

Ghost Billy played a very specific part in the past two Scream films, where the reason behind Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley's return remain a total mystery. Although Lillard did cameo in the 2022 movie, including the tribute to the late visionary filmmaker Wes Craven.

Clearly there's a ton of work being done on Scream 7 behind the scenes, and the questions from fans like myself aren't going to stop coming. While the next entry won't be among the 2025 movie releases, it has a release date of February 27th, 2026. And I'm going to keep crossing my fingers that Parker Posey gets to return to the franchise one day.

Movie fans who enjoy horror thrills centered around a cursed pizzeria/arcade combo are obviously excited for the upcoming 2025 movie Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. With production underway, star Matthew Lillard’s vague tease for this Blumhouse sequel showed how much he’s allowed to say about what’s ahead, which is still just enough to get people pumped.

However he did have some fun insight into why his big bad busted out an iconic Scream move he pulled off almost 30 years ago in the first Five Nights at Freddy’s picture. I have to wonder what he might do for an unintentional encore, as Lillard admitted he was in a “manic state” that inspired this clever callback.

I was able to talk to the man some folks would recognize as Wiliam Afton from Blumhouse’s sleeper 2023 box office hit, and that question was sitting on my mind with great importance. Sitting virtual face to face with Matthew Lillard, who was promoting his upcoming “Rare, Fine, & Limited” tequila with Macabre Spirits, I asked if that particular callback was scripted. The answer to that very question is something that’d probably make his Scream character proud. With that in mind, here’s what Lillard told CinemaBlend about that moment and its creation:

You probably know the Five Nights at Freddy’s moment I’m talking about by now, but if not, here’s a quick rundown. As William Afton (Matthew Lillard), a.k.a. “Springtrap,” prepares to claim a victim in director Emma Tammi’s picture, he busts out a very familiar move with the knife he holds in his hands.

Cleaning the knife of blood in a single swiping action, the muscle memory of the old Lillard Knife Swipe was very much in practice. As you can see in a humorous video meme-ing the situation provided below, fans certainly appreciated the gesture:

I was honestly surprised that I hadn’t made the connection upon watching Five Nights at Freddy’s. The dots just didn’t connect for me at that moment, but once I’d seen a TikTok not too long after enjoying the movie, my mind was blown. Meanwhile, Matthew Lillard is still surprised by the reaction that people had over that very special moment, as he shared in these continued remarks:

It really is one of the best instances of separating the art from the artist when considering Matthew Lillard. While he has the capacity to play some of the most heinous villains in the horror world, his actual personality is closer to his goofball roles. A gracious participant of the con scene, and a lover of fans in general, his generosity is part of what makes following his career such a delight.

At the same time, seeing how dark Mr. Lillard can go with a particular role is another treat to look forward to when combing the internet for more about everything we know about Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. Knowing now that his impressive Scream reflexes are triggered in another “manic state” of filming, I can only anticipate what other sorts of tricks might be up this horror legend’s mechanized suit the next time around.

I mean, you really can’t undersell the fact that not only does Matthew Lillard understand how Five Nights at Freddy’s became a hit, but also he can pull a face of menace this terrifying:

The man is truly a master at his craft, and we’ll get to experience both sides of the Lillard coin in 2025, partially thanks to Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 being set to boot up in theaters on December 5th. But don’t forget that Matthew Lillard is also in The Life of Chuck, which is set to hit theaters at some point next summer, which is apparently a very heartbreaking performance waiting in the wings.

If you want to prep for your return to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, then check out the original Five Nights at Freddy’s movie, which is currently streaming for those with a Prime Video subscription. And while I'm not sure how well tequila goes with a large cheese pizza, perhaps you can find out after pre-ordering a bottle of Rare, Fine & Limited Reposado Tequila, courtesy of Macabre Spirits.

There’s a huge wave of fan-driven anticipation that makes the upcoming 2025 movie Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 a hotly anticipated horror sequel. However, there’s also those who saw the previous entry in the Blumhouse and got amped up over horror legend Matthew Lillard’s appearance as infamous series villain William Afton. Those folks are about to become even more excitable, as I got the The Life of Chuck star to share what he could say about this secretive project.

Fulfilling the promise that he’ll “always come back,” Lillard’s recent tease about Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 start date had me eager to ask him about what fans should expect. Going into our recent interview on behalf of Macabre Spirits’ new tequila, I knew that there wasn’t going to be much he could say about this upcoming Blumhouse movie.

Having said that, Matthew Lillard is a crafty person, both in acting and in creative pursuits. So with the brief to be as vague as he wanted, CinemaBlend was able to obtain the following Five Nights At Freddy’s sequel tease:

As someone who saw the first Five Nights at Freddy’s with some friends who were already die-hard fans of the game lore, I think the word “improved” is even more powerful than anyone could imagine. Upon its debut in October 2023 director Emma Tammi’s Blumhouse produced adaptation went on to gross $297.1 million against an estimated $20 million production budget.

Even one of our own resident FNAF veterans Alexandra Ramos showed a lot of love in a list of how Five Nights at Freddy’s pleased fans of the games. So to hear the word “improved” already sets the table for some beautiful madness. However, I’m pleased to say that the one word approach worked better than anticipated.

As Matthew Lillard went a bit deeper with his sequel feelings in our conversation, he offered an alternative to his previous singular word choice. Mixing that change up in with more about how series creator Scott Cawthon plays into those feelings, here's what he had to add:

As someone who hadn’t played the games, but knew of them before seeing the film, I too enjoyed Five Nights at Freddy’s. Much like Blumhouse’s R-rated adaptation of The Black Phone is a fantastic gateway horror movie, this picture really toes the line between the creepy, unsettling crimes committed by Matthew Lillard’s character. Though in the interest of younger audiences familiar with the game, there’s enough blockbuster fun and creative editing that allows it to stay a PG-13 rated project.

I’m certainly jazzed up for an “improved” and “expanded” sequel, while also hoping that we’ll get to see even more of the mad glee that Lillard brings to his role. We’ll get to see where the next chapter of terror takes us when we return to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, which should currently be in production for its December 5, 2025 release date.

Those of you who want to revisit the first film can do so with access to a Prime Video subscription, as that’s the current streaming home for this title. And if you’re 21 or over, you can pre-order Rare, Fine, & Limited Reposado Tequila over at Macabre Spirits, which may or may not be a fantastic option for an original cocktail inspired by that very film.

It’s been a wild year for fans of both Mike Flanagan and Matthew Lillard, especially when both men have teamed up for the upcoming 2025 movie The Life of Chuck. The Stephen King adaptation was apparently a partnership that started with what Lillard describes as “a very Hollywood thing,” which ultimately led to the Scream icon further hyping the Tom Hiddleston-led release.

Thanks to speaking with the man himself about this new project, I’m even more hyped about what we know about The Life of Chuck, especially considering Mr. Flanagan’s track record with his own would-be repertory company of actors. Without seeing the film, I really do hope that this isn't the end of their work together, as the reactions so far seem to indicate that this is a match made in heaven.

How A Three Hour Lunch Between Matthew Lillard And Mike Flanagan Led To The Life Of Chuck

It was an absolute delight to speak with Matthew Lillard on behalf of his brand Find Familiar Spirits. A company co-founded by the Scooby Doo star, the label sells quality liquor with a storytelling twist. Dungeons & Dragons fans would know of the Quest’s End line of bourbons that include comic books unique to this product line, and Lillard is about to debut a new brand in Macabre Tequila.

The first bottle in the line, Rare, Fine & Limited Reposado Tequila, is currently available for pre-order in anticipation of its January 2025 debut. And with this particular libation comes an original novella penned by Mike Flanagan himself, entitled “Rare, Fine, & Limited.” This horror offering, as well as The Life of Chuck partnership, all sprang from a singular event that Matthew Lillard described to CinemaBlend, as follows:

You know you’re getting along with someone if you can lock in for a three hour lunch, especially if you want to offer someone the chance to work with you at the end. But of course, such awesome events don’t always pan out. Schedules can get crazy, and through various flavors of “life gets in the way,” there were numerous opportunities for the universe to throw stumbling blocks between Matthew Lillard and his new friend.

That said, the turnaround time between this meeting and The Life of Chuck offer is impressive in terms of the chaos that is Hollywood. As Mr. Lillard proceeded to describe this eventual offer coming to fruition, the offer came in around the following timeline:

The concept of actors who appeared in one pivotal scene turning the axis of a movie isn’t new, and based on what Matthew Lillard had to say in his role for Mike Flanagan’s latest picture, that seems to be what we’re about to see. At least, that’s the impression I got when reading the details he shared exclusively with our sibling publication Total Film, which included the following:

Early praise for the film is already starting to buzz about, and there’s even been some talk about how good Matthew Lillard’s performance as Gus happens to be. As the Five Nights At Freddy’s actor continues on what’s been dubbed his career’s “renaissance moment,” the results have been pleasing for fans and critics alike.

After learning of Lillard’s Scooby Doo 2 worries, this result seems even sweeter to behold. So with all of this talk about the future in the air, I really do hope that this new friendship leads to a new addition to what I like to call the Mike Flanagan Repertory Company.

Matthew Lillard’s Hype For The Life Of Chuck Makes Me Hope He And Mike Flanagan Continue To Work Together

As if the first announcement of this project wasn’t enough to stoke the fires, our own Eric Eisenberg’s reaction to The Life of Chuck put some more weight on that side of the scale. Knowing that he’s our resident King Beat reporter, his is an opinion that only built me up even further in the wait for what’s being presumed to be a summer 2025 release for Neon.

So when Matthew Lillard offered this torrent of praise during our conversation, it seemed like a sign that I was putting my faith in the right place:

Circling back to the theme of career renaissances, the work that’s apparently been done for The Life of Chuck appears to have given Matthew Lillard more room to stretch his talents. I’m actually curious to read the novella myself so I can dig more into why he’s been getting raves from people like co-star/fellow horror genre icon David Dastmalchian, which came in an interview with Gizmodo from earlier this year.

Naturally, that would depend on if the Thirteen Ghosts veteran would want to join up with Mr. Flanagan’s merry band of performers again. When I floated that very possibility in conversation, Matthew Lillard only had this to say:

A future partnership with between Matthew Lillard and Mike Flanagan already sounds like a welcomed reteaming. And since the man himself has been known to play fictional characters who "always come back," I do hope his professional life reflects that promise - albeit in a much more pleasant way than that Five Nights At Freddy's reference would imply.

While I can’t speak to the quality of The Life of Chuck, I can definitely say that Lillard and Flanagan’s literary partnership is a winner! For those of you curious to get your hands on “Rare, Fine & Limited,” you’ll only be able to do so if you pre-order a bottle of Macabre Spirits' Rare, Fine & Limited Reposado Tequila. In the meantime, if you want to see where other upcoming Stephen King movies land on the road ahead, you can check out our guide laying out what’s to come in the near future.

Obviously, at the end of Scream, Billy Loomis gets shot in the head by Sidney, and he’s 100% dead. However, his co-killer’s fate is a bit more ambiguous. While Stu Macher did get stabbed and a TV dropped on him, I couldn’t help but ponder if he’s actually dead after I re-watched this great horror movie.

So, that query sent me down a rabbit hole about whether Matthew Lillard’s character really died or not that we need to break down.

I Can’t Believe I Didn’t Give Stu's Fate A Second Thought After Watching Scream The First Time

I watched Scream for the first time about a year ago, and my friends and I decided to stream it with a Max subscription this fall seeing as it’s spooky season. This time around, I wasn’t in shock about the film’s twists and turns the whole time, so I actually had the critical thinking skills needed to take in everything with a more analytical eye.

This meant that at the end of the film, I couldn’t help but notice that Stu’s fate was never fully confirmed. You know what they say: in a mystery or a horror movie, if you don’t see the dead body for yourself, there’s always a chance they’re alive.

It’s not really on-brand for a Ghostface killer to return or live through their film, though. However, I know I’d love to see Matthew Lillard’s unhinged character come back, and upon re-watch, I thought it’d be possible.

Little did I know, there’s actually a massive debate and many theories about the fate of Stu that the actor who played him and the screenwriter who wrote him have thoughts about.

Matthew Lillard Thinks Stu Is Still Alive, And There Are Theories Floating Around That He Is

Over the years, there have been a lot of theories and speculation that Stu survived the events of the very first Scream. In fact, the ongoing debate about his fate was even addressed in Scream 6 when Kirby looked at the TV that was smashed on his head, and she brought up his death, to which Mindy said, “If you believe he’s dead.”

There certainly are people who don’t think he died. At one point, per Dialy Beast, there was an idea to bring Stu back as the mastermind behind the cult of killers in Scream 3. Plus, the actor who plays him had a small cameo in Scream 2, where he appeared in the background of a scene. So, some fans believe he survived and has been in hiding for all these years. While far-fetched, I wouldn’t put it past the franchise to do something like this. Plus, Matthew Lillard has fun playing into it all too.

The actor has been asked about returning as Stu many, many times over the years. Recently, he made a bold statement about his character too, by telling Drew Barrymore on her talk show (via Bloody Disgusting) that he “definitely” thinks he is alive, noting that he’d be down to come back if it made sense for the franchise.

He’s held that stance for a long time as well. Back in 2020, the actor humorously took to X to post:

Now, my colleague Ryan LaBee is convinced Stu will return as part of the Scream 7 cast. While there are claims that seemingly confirm his death, he wrote that amid the setbacks the sequel has faced, adding another legacy cast member would be a good move. Plus, while speaking to Game Spot about this idea, Lillard joked about returning and then said:

So, is he lying? Or is Stu really dead? Honestly, it’s hard to say; actors lie about their roles all the time to keep secrets, so anything is possible. However, while I like to believe this iconic character could return, there’s also convincing evidence that he did, in fact, die decades ago.

However, Many, Including Kevin Williamson, Believe Stu Is Dead

Amid all this hubbub and Matthew Lillard playing into the fun theories about his character, Scream’s screenwriter Kevin Williamson put his foot down in 2022. He confirmed that Stu is for sure dead, saying:

Well, that feels like confirmation to me. Plus, the killer surviving being stabbed and electrocuted by a TV is not exactly helping the "he’s alive" theory. But wait, there’s more proof. According to Game Rant, there’s a “lingering shot” in Scream 6 that shows photos, and it includes one of Stu that says he died in 1996.

Plus, there are a whole bunch of folks on Reddit who are convinced this character is dead, as Ghostface215 passionately wrote:

Not to be a downer, but all this is very logical. It seems more likely that Stu died that night rather than survived. Theories point to everything that went down in the original Scream. Plus, the photo in Scream 6 alludes to the franchise also clarifying that this character is dead.

However…stranger things have happened. Even if he is dead, he could still come back. We all remember the fact that Billy came back as a ghost in 2022's Scream and Scream VI. So, ultimately, whether you believe Matthew Lillard’s character is alive or not, there’s no denying the possibility that he could reprise his role either way.

Personally, after re-watching Scream, and being even more entertained by Lillard’s performance, I hope we see Stu back in this franchise somehow. Plus, it’d be extra exciting if he came back in Scream 7 – which Kevin Williamson is notably directing. However, as the actor said, it needs to be done in a way that serves the franchise well.

Stu went out with a bang back in 1996, so if he comes back it needs to be just as iconic as the original film.

It’s not uncommon for the first movie of a franchise to be followed by something that is considered not as good as the original. Sometimes the magic gets lost, or the writing is weaker than the original, regardless of the case it’s why fans are often weary of sequels. Actors like Matthew Lillard expect the continuation of a success will further their career, and when the sequel flops there is fear that their career is now at its end.

The live action 2002 film Scooby Doo is considered a cult classic by a lot of fans of the mystery crew. Following its success a second movie, Monsters Unleashed was announced. In an interview with Business Insider, Matthew Lillard talked about what Monsters Unleashed would do for his career. The Scream star stated:

Lillard spoke about how during this time he was still very susceptible to the opinions of the audience. He was looking for validation in a way that he could be seen as a good and famous actor, so when Monsters Unleashed flopped and offers dried up, Lillard found himself facing some difficult choices.

He reminisced on the pathway his career is going and could go. When talking about the given offer to be on Dancing With the Stars, Lillard spoke about his feelings regarding it:

He made a full reset of his life and career, returning to more humble roots while trying to take a new life for himself. As we know his career continued onwards, Lillard going on to play William Afton in the Five Nights at Freddy's live action movie from Blumhouse.

His discography is varied, the Scream star bouncing around between different roles. When looking back on the entirety of his career, Lillard describes it as such:

Lilliard wasn't asked to do the animated movie Scoob! which he found disappointing. Currently Lillard is filming the sequel for the Five Nights at Freddys, returning as his titular role of William Afton. He described joining the first movie as “a leap of faith”, and the second is probably just as big a leap. It's set to release in December 2025.

As we get closer to Five Nights at Freddy's 2, if you're looking for ways to watch the live action Scooby Doo movies as well as any other of the animated movies, we've got you covered.

The Scream franchise has long been one of the best horror franchises, celebrated for being a solid horror comedy, its clever twists, meta-commentary, and the unexpected return of characters thought to be long gone—whether as ghosts or figments of imagination. Now fans of Ghostface have even more reason to be excited. Matthew Lillard, who offered a truly iconic performance playing the iconic Stu Mocker, has added fuel to a long-standing fan theory that his character might still be alive. During a recent interview, the Scooby-Doo actor’s playful and intriguing comments about Stu’s fate have reignited speculation, leaving us wondering: is Scream 7 about to deliver the ultimate surprise return?

Matthew Lillard, who portrayed the charismatic (and psychotic) Stu Mocker in the first movie, has fueled years of speculation about whether his character truly met his end in that now-iconic TV-to-the-head moment. Fans have long believed that Stu might have survived, and the SLC Punk! star seems to be fully embracing the idea. During an appearance on fellow OG Scream cast member Drew Barrymore’s talk show (via Bloody Disgusting), he hinted at the possibility, saying:

The previous two entries in the series brought back some beloved legacy characters, including Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers and Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott (before her absence from the latest installment), but Stu’s potential return would be the most shocking yet. And judging by Lillard’s responses, it seems like it's not in the realm of impossibility.

When asked if he’d ever return to the role that made him a fan favorite, the Descendants alum added:

Lillard's comments are intriguing for a couple of reasons. First, fellow franchise icon Skeet Ulrich has also shared his enthusiasm for seeing one of the most memorable Ghostface killers make a comeback. And perhaps more significantly, longtime series writer and director of the upcoming installment Kevin Williamson has previously addressed the fan theory, stating definitively that Stu is dead.

However, weirder things have happened in cinema when a series has a solid fanbase. Who remembers Andrew Garfield’s infamous response to whether or not he was in Spider-Man: No Way Home? Famously, The Amazing Spider-Man star denied his involvement in the film, only for it to turn out that he was, in fact, part of the cast. The Michigan native had a similar playful misdirection, giving the same kind of energy—especially with how adamant he is about lying to fans to maintain the surprise.

Talking to Game Spot during New York City Comic Con, The Five Nights At Freddy’s actor went even further, joking about being in the seventh installment:

Matthew Lillard's comments feel like a playful tease to the fandom, hinting that despite his denial, there might be more going on than meets the eye. It’s reminiscent of Andrew Garfield’s infamous "I’m not the werewolf" moment, where he repeatedly denied his return as Spider-Man, only for the truth to be revealed later. He could be playing a similar game, keeping us guessing until the big reveal.

So, why am I convinced Stu Mocker is primed for a comeback in Scream 7? Beyond the Shaggy voice performer’s teasing remarks, the next installment has faced several setbacks that fans of horror movies are well aware of. With the loss of the hot new stars Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega and the high-profile exit of director Christopher Landon, it seems like the filmmakers are scrambling to generate some positive buzz. What better way to inject excitement into the project than by bringing back fan-favorite Stu?

In a time where nostalgia rules (just look at Blumhouse’s Halloween revival with Jamie Lee Curtis), reviving Stu could breathe new life into the Scream franchise while honoring its roots. Whether or not Matthew Lillard is pulling an "Andrew Garfield" remains to be seen, but if Stu Mocker does return, it would be one of the most epic twists in Scream history. I, for one, have my fingers crossed.

While we await more updates regarding Scream 7, fans can stream the Scream franchise’s 2022 reboot and its 2023 sequel with a Paramount+ subscription, while the original first four flicks are available to stream with a Max subscription. You can also check out the 2024 movie schedule to plan your next cinema experience.