Scream 6 stands out from the rest of the movies in the Scream franchise, and in its first minutes, it shows exactly why Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) is one of the scariest Ghostface killers so far – but this also brings a huge challenge for Scream 7. The horror genre has greatly benefited from the ongoing reboots and legacy sequel trends, and Scream is one of the franchises that has found great success through them. The saga came back to life in 2022 with Scream, which started the reboot trilogy with Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega) as the new Final Girls.
Scream 2022 also brought Sidney (Neve Campbell), Gale (Courteney Cox), and Dewey (David Arquette) back, and revealed Sam’s link to the first Woodsboro murders. The sequel, Scream 6, continues Sam and Tara’s stories and, although it’s heavy with Easter eggs and references to the previous movies, it also breaks some of the saga’s traditions. This happens very early on in the movie, and after its opening kill, Scream 6 showed exactly why Stu Macher is still one of the most terrifying Ghostface killers.
Scream 6’s Opening Scene Is The Closest To A Look Into Stu’s Mind
Jason Describes The Thrill Of Killing In Scream 6
Following the saga’s tradition, Scream 6 has an opening kill that, at the same time, breaks another tradition. The first victim is Laura Crane (Samara Weaving), a film professor at Blackmore University, which Tara, Chad (Mason Gooding), and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) are attending. Laura is made to believe she’s having a date, but she’s actually being catfished by one of her students, Jason (Tony Revolori), who lures her into an alley. Jason, dressed as Ghostface, kills Laura, and calls his accomplice, Greg, when he returns to his dorm.
Jason tells Greg he wanted to practice before their big kills, as they wanted to kill Sam and Tara to finish Richie’s (Jack Quaid) “movie.” Jason describes to Greg the thrill he felt when he killed Laura, telling him in detail how she was less and less human every time he stabbed her. This is one of the most disturbing scenes in Scream 6 without showing a single drop of blood, and it’s the closest there is (and will ever be) to a look into Stu’s mind.
Stu simply joined his best friend’s plans for fun and for the thrill of killing.
Stu’s was Billy Loomis’ (Skeet Ulrich) accomplice in the first Woodsboro Murders in the first Scream movie. Billy had very specific reasons for killing Sidney’s mother, Maureen and later trying to kill Sidney, thus starting the Ghostface murders. Stu, on the other hand, simply joined his best friend’s plans for fun and for the thrill of killing, which he later tried to justify to Sidney as having been “peer pressure.” Minutes after the reveal, Sidney killed Stu by dropping a TV on his head, electrocuting him to death.
Jason’s description of the thrill of killing in Scream 6 sounds like what Stu could have experienced during his time as Ghostface.
Given Stu’s short on-screen time between the reveal of his involvement in the murders and his death, Scream didn’t get to go deeper into Stu’s mind and train of thought as a killer. However, Jason’s description of the thrill of killing in Scream 6 sounds like what Stu could have experienced during his time as Ghostface. However, the difference is that Jason had the main motivation of finishing what Richie started, while Stu was in it for the thrills and nothing more.
Scream 7 Can’t Bring Stu Back Anymore
Sorry, He Really Is ᴅᴇᴀᴅ
Despite Stu’s death happening on screen and his not returning in any of the sequels, there were many theories about his possible survival. The theories gained more force when Lillard revealed that he had been contacted to reprise his role of Stu in Scream 3, as he would be revealed to have survived and been the mastermind behind the new murders from prison (via Bob Bendick Podcast). However, that idea was scrapped and the script was re-written to not include Stu following the Columbine High School mᴀssacre.
Matthew Lillard had an uncredited and sneaky cameo appearance in Scream 2 as a party attendee.
The theories about Stu’s survival gained more force when Scream 2022 was announced, and some fans still hoped he would appear in Scream 6. Now, there really is no way Scream 7 can bring Stu back as Scream 6 confirmed he’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅ when Kirby tells Mindy the burned TV in Ghosface’s shrine is the one that killed Stu, though Mindy is a supporter of the theories about Stu’s survival.
In addition to that, franchise creator Kevin Williamson revealed in 2022 that Stu Macher is ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (via Collider), and now Williamson is directing Scream 7. Although little is known about the plot of Scream 7, simply by having Williamson on board as director, there’s no chance for Stu to make a miraculous return anymore.
Why Stu Macher Stands Out From The Rest Of Scream’s Ghostface Killers
Stu Macher’s Motivations Are Unlike Any Others
So far, the Scream saga has had 12 Ghostface killers (without counting Jason in Scream 6’s opening), all of them with different reasons to go after either Sidney or Sam and Tara, but the only one who stands out is Stu. Billy targets Maureen and Sidney because his father cheated on his mother with Maureen, which is why his mother abandoned him, with Mrs. Loomis becoming the killer in Scream 2 to avenge her son’s death. Mrs. Loomis is helped by Mickey Altieri, who just wants to get caught and be “immortalized” through infamy.
Scream 3 has Roman Bridger, who wants revenge against Sidney, his half-sister, because Maureen abandoned him. Scream 4 introduces Jill Roberts, Sidney’s cousin, who is jealous of the attention Sidney gets and wants it for herself. Jill is helped by Charlie Walker, who is infatuated with her and is also a big horror movie fan. Scream 2022’s killers, Richie and Amber, are big fans of the Stab franchise, and what they want is to “reboot” it through a new wave of Woodsboro murders.
And then there’s Stu, who was in it for the fun and thrills of killing.
Last but not least, the three killers in Scream 6, Detective Bailey and his children Quinn and Ethan, who are Richie’s father and siblings, want revenge for Richie’s death. And then there’s Stu, who was in it for the fun and thrills of killing. This alone makes Stu the most terrifying Ghostface killer in the Scream movie saga, as he didn’t need a motivation or reason to kill – he would have done it anyway.
Scream 7 Needs A Different Type Of Ghostface Killer
Please, Scream 7, Make A Difference
Although every Ghostface killer has had clear motivations to go on murder sprees and target Sidney or Sam and Tara, these have become repeтιтive. As seen above, the Ghostface killers have either been vengeful boyfriends, even more vengeful family members, hardcore movie fans, and people who wanted either fame or infamy – and, of course, there’s Stu, who was in it for the fun. Scream 7 is already at risk of being repeтιтive, especially of Scream 3, so it really needs a new type of Ghostface killer to stand out.
Scream 7 will focus on Sidney and her family (this thanks to a time jump), and it’s already theorized that the new Ghostface killer will be Sidney’s husband, Mark (Joel McHale). This would be repeтιтive and unfair to Sidney, as well as incredibly predictable, so Scream 7 needs a Ghostface with new and different but believable motivations. The challenges of Scream 7 just keep adding and growing, and Stu’s legacy isn’t making them any easier.
Source: Bob Bendick Podcast, Collider.
