Scream 7 gets a new tease from Matthew Lillard, who hypes the movie’s high quality after those surprising shakeups to the cast. Directed by original Scream writer Kevin Williamson, the upcoming installment in the long-running horror franchise is set to feature Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott front and center once more.
This wasn’t always the case, however, as the film experienced some major turmoil in 2023 when Melissa Barrera was fired, prompting both Jenna Ortega and original director Christopher Landon to depart. The Scream 7 cast is now set to include Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Matthew Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown, among others.
During a recent appearance at Silver Scream Con (via BloodyDisgusting), Lillard discusses what it was like to be called back for Scream 7, revealing that it’s a call he had been waiting on for a long time. As for the film itself, the actor swears it won’t “ruin the franchise.” Check out Lillard’s comment below:
“I got a call from Kevin Williamson in the middle of the day. I’m like, ‘I have to take this phone call that’s coming in.’ And I took the phone call, and we kind of small talked. He’s like, ‘Are you interested in coming back?’
And I literally thought to myself, ‘I’ve been waiting for this call for, like, 20 years. I was so excited. I know exactly where I was. I know exactly that time of day. I know what I was wearing. I was like, ‘Oh, my God!’ And I was on a walk. It’s so weird, it’s like these moments that’s burned into your memory.
I’m thrilled to be back. The movie’s fantastic, and I’m really excited for people to see it. It’s not gonna ruin the franchise, that’s the good news. I don’t think!”
What This Means For Scream 7
2022’s Scream revitalized the franchise, introducing new characters that held their own alongside legacy players like Sidney, Gale (Cox), and Dewey (Arquette). The film was a critical and commercial success, and so was 2023’s Scream 6, further cementing Barrera and Ortega as crucial new figures in this franchise. When both stars left, the film took a PR hit.
Now, though, the next film’s cast is set to be the most star-studded of the entire Scream franchise. Multiple characters who were thought ᴅᴇᴀᴅ are returning, including Dewey and Scott Foley’s Roman Bridger. Lillard’s Stu Macher was seemingly killed in the original Scream (1996) after a TV fell on his head, but fan theories have long posited that he somehow survived.
A major question facing Scream 7 is how Stu and these other characters are returning. Characters like Stu and Dewey could be revealed to be alive, for instance, or they could return as visions or during a dream sequence. This wouldn’t be unusual given Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis returned as a vision for Sam Carpenter in the two most recent installments.
Lillard’s comments about the next movie’s quality could be a sign that it will repeat Scream 6‘s success. That movie grossed an impressive $169.1 million worldwide and impressed audiences, earning a 90% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Our Take On Matthew Lillard’s Scream 7 Tease
After what happened with Barrera, there are undoubtedly some who were left with a sour taste regarding Scream 7. The sheer talent ᴀssembled for the next movie seems like an answer to this skepticism. All the stops have been pulled out, and audiences are guaranteed to see many familiar characters.
As for how Scream 7 handles Stu’s return, it’s not clear what the best option would be. If he’s revealed to be alive, it would raise big questions about why this never came up previously. If he comes back as a vision, that could be unsatisfying too, given all the hype.
Either way, Lillard’s comments about Scream 7 are reᴀssuring. Hopefully, the film manages to balance its large cast while delivering the slasher action the franchise is known for.
