Will Matthew Lillard be joining the cast of Scream 7? Explored

Scream 7 is set to release on February 27, 2026, distributed by Paramount Pictures. Directed by Kevin Williamson, the film continues the iconic horror series.

Matthew Lillard will return as Stu Macher in Scream 7. Even though his character seemed to die in the original 1996 film, Lillard's return has been confirmed, making fans very excited. Details about Stu's return are not yet revealed.

As mentioned by Variety on January 30, 2025,

"Lillard’s homecoming comes as a bit of a surprise. His character, the stonerish teen Stu Macher, was revealed to be one of two killers in the first “Scream” — a twist that was swiftly followed by Macher being electrocuted to death, his head thrust into a hefty television."

The movie features well-known actors such as Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott and Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers. The new members are Scott Foley, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Joel McHale, and Isabel May. Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega won't be returning due to outside issues and scheduling conflicts.

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Matthew Lillard's return as Stu Macher in Scream 7

Fans are excited about Matthew Lillard coming back as Stu Macher in Scream 7. Lillard hinted he might be coming back with a mysterious Instagram post, quoting a well-known line from his character. This raised questions about what might happen to Stu.

A post by originalfunko mentions on October 12, 2024,

"Look out Hollywood, prepare to Scream! On 10/29 Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich will be at Funko Hollywood for a private meet and greet to celebrate Scream The Game and Pop! Ghost Face®! Stay tuned for more details on how to attend, exclusive prizes and pricing. See you there Funatics!"

The franchise is known for unexpected comebacks, and Lillard's return is part of this pattern. We don't know much about Stu's role in the new film, but his return could lead to interesting developments in the story.

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Scream 7: An expected storyline of the upcoming installment

At the time of this article's publishing, there are no official news updates about Scream 7. Since Melissa Barrera’s character, Sam Carpenter, is out of the story, the focus will shift back to Neve Campbell’s role, Sidney Prescott. After a series of violent murders, Sidney's return could shift the focus to protecting her family.

Another interesting idea is that Stu Macher (played by Matthew Lillard), the first Ghostface killer, might come back. Scream 7 might look into this idea to bring back old issues and add another surprising element to the story.

The Scream series often jokes about horror movie rules. Following the same, Scream 7 will probably discuss what's happening with horror franchises today. The film could explore sequels, reboots, and legacy characters, showing new ideas about what a modern horror film can be.

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What happened in Scream 6?

Scream VI (2023) takes place one year after the murders in Woodsboro from Scream 2022. Sam and Tara Carpenter, along with other survivors, have relocated to New York City to begin anew. Soon, a new Ghostface killer starts attacking them and other survivors.

The story is about a series of complicated murders. Ghostface kills Tara’s classmate, Jason, and then targets Sam and Tara.

The new killer is soon found to be linked to the earlier murders. Detective Wayne Bailey leads a team investigating, and his children, Ethan and Quinn, are also part of it. These people want to get back at Sam for killing their brother, Richie, during the last incidents. As the number of deaths increases, Sam and her team have to defend themselves.

In the end, Sam kills her father Wayne while dressed as Ghostface, taking back control of her past. Sam chooses to let Tara live more on her own and gets rid of her father's mask, feeling a sense of closure as he walks away.

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Cast of Scream 7

• Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott
• Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers
• Matthew Lillard as Stu Macher
• Scott Foley
• Mason Gooding as Chad Meeks-Martin
• Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy Meeks-Martin
• Joel McHale as Mark Evans
• Isabel May as Sidney's daughter
• Celeste O'Connor
• Asa Germann
• Mckenna Grace
• Sam Rechner
• Anna Camp
• Mark Consuelos

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Scream 7 is coming out on February 27, 2025.