‘I Screamed’: Matthew Lillard on Stu Macher’s Comeback in “Scream 7”
It’s official: Stu Macher is back. After years of fan theories, Easter eggs, and hopeful speculation, Matthew Lillard is officially returning to the Scream franchise for “Scream 7.” The news sent a jolt through the horror community, confirming that one of the original Ghostface killers will once again grace the screen. But the story of how Lillard himself found out is almost as exciting as the reveal itself.”
How Kevin Williamson Brought Stu Macher Back for “Scream 7”
For nearly three decades, the question of Stu’s survival has been a favorite “what if” among fans. Despite seemingly meeting a grisly end with a TV set to the head in the original 1996 film, the idea that he could have survived has never fully died. Now, with the “Scream 7” film bringing back original writer Kevin Williamson to direct, the impossible is happening.
According to Lillard, the call came as a complete shock. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Matthew Lillard recounted the surreal moment he learned his iconic character was making a comeback. It wasn’t through a formal agent call or a lengthy negotiation; it was a surprise phone call from the man who created Stu in the first place.
Lillard told Entertainment Weekly “I was on a walk. I was on a business call with my company, Find Familiar Spirits,” “I put them on hold because Kevin Williamson called me in the middle of the day.” Lillard’s return injects a massive dose of nostalgia and excitement into a franchise that has recently faced turbulence. With Neve Campbell also confirmed to return as Sidney Prescott, Scream 7 is shaping up to be a homecoming, grounding the series in its original roots under Williamson’s direction.
What Does Stu’s Return Mean For “Scream 7?”
Williamson, who penned the first, second, and fourth films, is now at the helm of “Scream 7,” making his directorial mark on the franchise he started. Lillard continued, “I picked up the phone and we had small talk for five minutes, and it was like, ‘Do you want to come back?’ I literally was like, ‘Oh my!’ I, like, screamed.”
The confirmation of Lillard’s return raises a million questions, chief among them: how? Is Stu Macher alive? Will he be a ghost, a hallucination like Billy Loomis was for his daughter Sam? Or is something else entirely at play? The trailer for “Scream 7” gives us a tantalizing clue with a single voice line from Stu: “This is gonna be fun!” but offers no other explanation. Even Lillard, the man at the center of it all, is keeping the secret locked down.
The trailer shows that Stu’s old house, the site of the original film’s bloody finale, is now an Airbnb. This setting feels too deliberate to be a coincidence. It’s the perfect stage for a new Ghostface to pay homage to the original killers or for Stu himself to make a dramatic reappearance. While we don’t have answers, the possibilities are thrilling for longtime fans who have waited patiently for this moment. In the tail end of the trailer for “Scream 7,” Stu’s voice says, “This is gonna be fun!
Final Thoughts
For a generation of horror fans, Matthew Lillard’s manic and unforgettable performance as Stu Macher is a cornerstone of the genre. His return feels like a celebration of the franchise’s legacy and a promise of new, terrifying possibilities. How he fits into the new narrative remains the biggest mystery, but one thing is certain: having Stu back in Woodsboro is going to be fun. “Scream 7” will hit the big screens on February 27, 2026.
