Matthew Lillard is officially reprising his role as Stu Macher in Scream 7, and there are a few interesting theories that could explain his return. Despite years of speculation that Lillard could appear in another Scream movie, it’s finally happening with the first installment directed by the franchise’s original creator/writer, Kevin Williamson. Lillard, however, won’t be the only original cast member returning for Scream 7, as the sequel also stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and the voice of Ghostface, Roger L. Jackson.

It’s clear Scream 7‘s story is shifting focus because not only is Lillard returning, but Scream 3‘s Scott Foley is also returning as Roman Bridger in some form. Scream 7 will notably be without stars Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, though half of the Core Four will appear based on Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy-Brown’s returns as Chad and Mindy Meeks-Martin. It’s unclear what will be in store for Scream 7‘s characters and how Stu is involved, but we have some ideas to explain his return.

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A Flashback Set Around The Original Scream

Scream 7 Could Use De-Aging

Scream 3 notably retconned the original movie, considering Roman Bridger claimed to be the mastermind behind Maureen Prescott’s murder. The death set off the events of Scream after Roman convinced Billy Loomis to carry out the Ghostface killings. Roman also suggested that Billy have a partner to pin the killings on, which was where Stu came in. We don’t know if Roman ever came in direct contact with Stu, but a Scream 7 flashback could shed more light on how Stu was recruited.

Any flashback that occurs around Scream‘s events would require de-aging since it’s been nearly 30 years since Wes Craven’s horror movie released. Even if Skeet Ulrich doesn’t return in Scream 7 as Billy, there can still be a flashback depicting an important moment in Stu’s history. With Roman also returning, the flashback theory seems a bit more likely and could provide a bigger connection between Roman and Stu.

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Hallucinations Like Billy’s Return In Previous Scream Sequels

Previous Scream Movies Showed How Visions Could Bring Back ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Characters

While de-aged flashbacks are possible, the simplest way to bring Stu back in Scream 7 is to use the same trick from the last two Scream movies. Through Sam’s hallucinations, Ulrich returned as Billy without being brought back from the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. A version of ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Billy appeared in Scream 5 and Scream 6, so a theory suggesting Stu will come back under similar circumstances makes sense, even if feels a little too repeтιтive.

After Billy’s return in Scream 5, many fans hoped that Lillard would appear in Sam’s hallucinations. However, the hope stemmed more from fan wishes rather than from a logical story standpoint, especially since Sam had no connection to Stu. With Scream 7 bringing back several characters that terrorized Sidney, maybe she ends up suffering from hallucinations involving past Ghostface killers. Perhaps Sidney even envisions some kind of alternate reality where Stu lived in Scream’s ending.

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Shocking Survival After Scream

Scream 7 Can Undo Stu’s Death

One of the most popular theories surrounding Matthew Lillard’s return to the franchise stems from the reveal that Stu shockingly survived in Scream. Before Lillard was confirmed to return for Scream 7, some fans had been vocal about Stu’s potential return after every sequel announcement dating back to 2011’s Scream 4. Already seemingly dying from blood loss after Billy stabbed him, Stu had one final faceoff with Sidney, who ended up dropping a TV on Stu’s head, electrocuting him. In a surprising twist, Scream 7 could walk back Stu’s fate.

There have been various theories explaining how Stu could’ve survived after his head was crushed by the TV. In fact, Mindy even references Stu’s death in Scream 6, adding fuel to the long-running theory that he secretly lived and has been hiding out for decades. Going down that route would take a lot of convincing, but it’s a way to bring Stu back without flashbacks or visions. If Stu did live, it makes sense why he would go after Sidney again, but it would be challenging to explain why he waited so long to reveal his survival.

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A Callback To The Original Scream 3 Mastermind Plan

Scream 3 Almost Featured Matthew Lillard’s Return

Stu’s secret survival also ties into another theory surrounding Scream 7‘s story, and it serves as a callback to something Scream 3 considered. Before Scream 3 unveiled Roman as the ultimate mastermind, Lillard was nearly brought back with Stu meant to be the primary villain. Scream 3‘s plan was to reveal Stu’s survival and have him serve as the mastermind, controlling teenagers while in jail, but the events of Columbine High School changed the movie’s direction.

With Kevin Williamson in the director’s chair, it’s very possible that he would revisit scrapped story angles to incorporate into Scream 7. Bringing Stu back and saying he’s been in jail would be a retcon of sorts, seeing as there isn’t proper evidence supporting Stu’s survival. That said, using Stu as the mastermind could explain why the focus has shifted back to Sidney instead of Sam and Tara.

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Stu Returns With The Help Of AI

Scream Loves Technology Trends

The Scream franchise is known for its meta approach, whether its unique takes on the horror genre, society, or trends. For example, Scream 4 heavily relied on technology and revealed Jill became Ghostface as part of a plan to become internet-famous. If the franchise continues the timely trend, Scream 7 could highlight AI as an aspect of the next Ghostface. AI would also be a way to feature a version of Lillard’s Stu without saying he survived the first movie.

A theory on Reddit goes even deeper, suggesting that AI can be used by Stu’s in-universe fandom as they target Sidney to mess with her head. AI could be used to manipulate the characters, or the public as a whole, into believing Stu and Roman are still alive and responsible for killings, past or present. Lillard would need to return for Scream 7 to appear in the AI footage, but the method avoids any serious story retcons with lasting impact.

Source: Reddit/ThePicturesGirl