TheScreamfranchise is going through an unexpected period of upheaval ahead of its seventh installment, withScream VIleads Melissa Barrera andJenna Ortega no long attached to appear. For some fans, that has instigated the idea that one of the franchise’s original characters, Stu Macher, could make a return, withMatthew Lillardreprising his role as one of the 1996 movie’s killers.
However, Lillard himself has candidly opened up about his feelings towards his iconic villain, revealing in a new interview withColliderthat he has no real affiliation with Stu, despite him still being a fan favorite after 27 years since his only appearance. What Lillard does care about, though, is the way those fans react and connect through his character. He said:
“I don’t really care about Stu Macher. It’s a part I played. It’s like if you’re a plumber, do you care about the house you did down the street and around the corner? No, it’s your job. And I love that job, it’s been nice to have that in my resume, but the reality is that it’s a part I did 20-plus years ago.
“So, what is important to me is that what it means to other people is deeply relevant when you see them all the time, and powerful. It’s not something I understood before that.”
Wes Craven’sScreamwas a genre defining movie, and one that helped propel Lillard’s career forward. The franchise may have moved on, and gone through several differentGhostface killersacross five sequels, but for many, there is always something special about the combination of Lillard’s Stu and Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis that makes their appearance one of the most memorable of them all.
Related:Scream: Every Ghostface Death, Ranked
How Has Scream VII Fallen Apart?
Following the arrival ofScreamin 2022, andScream VIin 2023, it appeared that the franchise was back after more than a decade. From OG returns to a host of new, young stars, the movies pleased both newcomers to Ghostface’s murderous streak and those who have been around for almost 30 years.
However,the future ofScreamnow looks a little less certain. In November, franchise leadMelissa Barrera was fired from the moviefor sharing social media posts relating to the current conflict in the Middle East. In the days following this, Jenna Ortega reportedly pulled out of the seventh movie due to scheduling conflicts linked to her Netflix series Wednesday. However, there have since been a number of conflicting reports as to exactly when and why Ortega left the franchise, but what is certain, is that the storyline ofScream VIIis now undergoing many changes.
Rumors ofNeve Campbell’s return to the franchise, after leaving the previous installment due to a pay dispute, have been doing the rounds, but so far it seems that, like Lillard, she sees theScreamstory as one in her past, not her future. For now,Scream VIIhas been forced to go back to the drawing board, which is going to mean it will be a little longer than planned to get Ghostface killing again on the big screen.
Lillard, on the other hand can currently be found in the new role of Steve Raglan inFive Nights at Freddy’s, and as co-creator and star of the D&D-inspired seriesFaster, Purple Worm! Kill! Kill!,which coincidentally featured an appearance by Lillard’s formerScreamco-killer, Skeet Ulrich and aired on Amazon Freevee.
