Matthew Lillard is set to return for Scream 7. According to Deadline, Lillard, who captivated audiences as the iconic antagonist Stuart "Stu" Macher in the original 1996 Scream film, will star in the upcoming installment. Fans of the franchise are buzzing with excitement and curiosity about how Lillard could feature in Scream 7, especially considering the fate of his character in the first movie. Will he reprise his role as Stu or take on a new character? While it remains a mystery, Lillard hinted at his involvement through an intriguing Instagram post:
The original Scream cast is reuniting to some extent, with Lillard joining Neve Campbell, who will reprise her role as Sidney Prescott, and Courteney Cox in Scream 7. The film will also feature Scott Foley, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown.
This news comes as a relief to fans who feared the project might be canceled after a rocky development period. In November 2023, star Melissa Barrera was fired from the film following her social media posts about the Gaza conflict. Just a day later, it was announced that Jenna Ortega would not return for Scream 7, leaving both Carpenter sisters, central to the series since Scream (2022), no longer involved.
In December 2023, director Christopher Landon also left Scream 7, describing the experience as a "dream job that turned into a nightmare." Since then, Kevin Williamson, the screenwriter of the first, second, and fourth Scream films, has stepped in to direct.
Radio Silence, the directing duo behind Scream and Scream 6, announced in August 2023 that they would not return to direct Scream 7, but they remain on board as executive producers. Guy Busick, who co-wrote the previous two films, is returning to pen the screenplay for Scream 7.
Scream 7 is slated to hit theaters on February 27, 2026.
