"Matthew Lillard Returns as OG Scream Star in Scream 7"

Matthew Lillard is set to return for Scream 7, as reported by Deadline. Lillard, renowned for his role as the villainous Stuart "Stu" Macher in the original 1996 Scream film, will star in the upcoming installment. This news has sparked curiosity among fans about how Lillard's character could reappear, given the events of the first movie. Whether he will reprise his role as Stu or take on a new character remains a mystery. Lillard himself hinted at his involvement through an Instagram post, which you can view below.

The Scream franchise is seeing a reunion of sorts, with Lillard joining Neve Campbell, who will reprise her iconic role as Sidney Prescott, and Courteney Cox in Scream 7. The film will also feature Scott Foley, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown.

The announcement comes after a challenging period for the project. In November 2023, Melissa Barrera was fired from the movie following her social media posts about the conflict in Gaza. Just a day later, it was revealed that Jenna Ortega would not be returning, leaving the Carpenter sisters, central to the series since Scream (2022), out of the picture.

In December 2023, director Christopher Landon also exited Scream 7, describing the experience as a "dream job that turned into a nightmare." Since then, Kevin Williamson, the writer of the original Scream, Scream 2, and Scream 4, 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 will remain as executive producers. Guy Busick, who co-wrote the previous two films, is back to pen the screenplay.

Scream 7 is scheduled to hit theaters on February 27, 2026.