Matthew Lillard Returns for Scream 7

Matthew Lillard is making a thrilling return to the iconic Scream franchise in Scream 7. Deadline confirmed that Lillard, who brought the chilling character Stuart "Stu" Macher to life in the original 1996 Scream, will once again grace the screen in this eagerly anticipated sequel.

Given Stu's fate in the first film, fans are buzzing with speculation about how Lillard could possibly return. Will he reprise his role as Stu, or will he portray a new character? The mystery deepens as Lillard himself teased his involvement in an intriguing Instagram post, which you can check out below.

The return of Lillard joins a reunion of sorts, as he will be starring alongside Neve Campbell, who is reprising her iconic role as Sidney Prescott, and Courteney Cox. The cast also includes Scott Foley, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown, adding more star power to the mix.

The journey to Scream 7 has been anything but smooth. The film faced a rocky development period, highlighted by the departure of star Melissa Barrera in November 2023 following her social media posts about the Gaza conflict. Just a day later, it was announced that Jenna Ortega would not return, leaving both Carpenter sisters, central to the series since the 2022 Scream reboot, out of the picture.

Further complicating matters, director Christopher Landon left the project in December 2023, describing his experience as a "dream job that turned into a nightmare." Stepping into the director's chair is Kevin Williamson, the mastermind behind the original Scream, Scream 2, and Scream 4.

Radio Silence, the directing duo behind Scream and Scream 6, announced in August 2023 that they would not return to direct Scream 7 but will remain on board as executive producers. Guy Busick, who co-wrote the last two films, is set to pen the screenplay for this installment.

Mark your calendars: Scream 7 is slated to slash its way into cinemas on February 27, 2026.