Matthew Lillard is returning for Scream 7.
According to Deadline, Lillard, best known for playing the antagonist Stuart "Stu" Macher in the original 1996 Scream, will appear in Scream 7.
Fans might question how Lillard can appear in Scream 7 considering what happened in the first film. Could he be reprising the role of Stu, or might he play a different character? For now, that remains a mystery, though Lillard hinted at his involvement in the Instagram post below.
The original Scream cast is partially reuniting, with Lillard joining Neve Campbell—who will reprise her role as Sidney Prescott—and Courteney Cox for Scream 7. Scott Foley, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown are also set to appear.
This is significant news for a film that, at one stage, seemed uncertain due to a turbulent development period. In November 2023, star Melissa Barrera was removed from the movie following a series of social media posts regarding the conflict in Gaza. A day later, it was confirmed that Jenna Ortega would also not return for Scream 7, meaning both Carpenter sisters, central to the franchise since 2022's Scream, were no longer involved.
Then, in December 2023, director Christopher Landon also departed from Scream 7, describing it in a somber statement as “a dream job that turned into a nightmare.” Since then, Kevin Williamson—who wrote the first Scream, along with Scream 2 and Scream 4—has stepped in to direct.
The directing duo Radio Silence, who helmed Scream and Scream 6, announced back in August 2023 that they would not be returning to direct Scream 7, though they remain on board as executive producers. Guy Busick, co-writer of the last two films, is returning to write the screenplay.
Scream 7 arrives in theaters on February 27, 2026.
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