The horror genre was built on long-running franchises, which are never truly dead. Wes Craven’s Scream is definitely in that category, with two new sequels recently coming from directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. That duo admirably took on the mantle and honored the late filmmaker’s legacy in the process. Given the wild popularity of the IP, there are countless fan theories about what might happen in Scream VI and beyond. That includes moviegoers who want to see Matthew Lillard somehow return as Stu Macher. And original writer/creator Kevin Williamson recently explained how Stu might be able to pop up again, despite his death in the first movie.
The original 1996 Scream movie changed the genre forever, and is a beloved project for many horror fans out there. The performances are all killer in Craven’s original movie, including the original Ghostfaces played by Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard. Since Billy recently returned to Scream thanks to Sam’s visions, fans are hoping to see the return of Stu as well. Kevin Williamson recently spoke to this ongoing fan campaign, offering one way it could work out. As he told ET Online in a recent interview,
I mean, I would say never, but I have always been wrong when I do. There's always that twin brother theory.
Wait, WHAT theory? It looks like Kevin Williamson isn’t ruling out the possibility of Matthew Lillard returning for a major role in a future Scream movie. Because while Stu was killed by Sidney when she dropped a TV on his head, there’s a fan theory that he might have actually been a twin. And that chatter has gotten so loud that even the franchise creator has acknowledged it.
Kevin Williamson’s comments about Stu Macher are sure to turn the heads of Scream fans out there. After all, he’s still involved in the franchise and was an executive producer on Radio Silence’s last two movies. And if he thinks that Matthew Lillard could actually return, then it feels like just about anything is possible. Bring on the twin!
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Writer: James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick
Cast: Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Courteney Cox, Hayden Panettiere, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Dermot Mulroney.
Release Date/Platform: March 10th in theaters.
Technically Matthew Lillard did rently appear in the Scream franchise, although I wouldn’t blame you for not catching it. He actually portrayed Ghostface in a faux trailer for Stab 8 which was seen in the 2022 Scream movie. Additionally, his voice can be heard along with other alumni who honor Wes Craven’s character in a toast. Still, that wasn’t enough for fans who want more of Stu.
New Scream directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are giant fans of the first four movies, which was evident in their work in the last two sequels. On top of introducing new survivors, they’ve also shown a penchant for bringing back legacy characters like Judy Hicks and Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby Reed. And with Skeet Ulrich also back as ghost Billy, it seems like just about anything is possible.
Scream VI hits theaters on March 10th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
