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:
I'm nervous, because at this point in my life, the only thing I can do is sort of ruin how people consider Stu. [Especially] if I come back and I suck or I was lame.
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:
I haven’t seen the movie yet. I don’t know if it works, but it’s a risk. And it’s a risk that I was excited to take. At the same time, I’m nervous to see the outcome. I hope people like it. It’s not something for us to get together and crack open a bottle of champagne or something. It’s part of our legacy. It’s part of who we are.
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.
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