Surprise, Matthew Lillard! <\/p>\n
And the actor, 55, was indeed shocked to find out he would be included in \u201cScream 7,\u201d<\/a> nearly 30 years after audiences were first introduced to his character in the 1996 original.<\/p>\n In \u201cScream,\u201d Lillard portrayed Stu Macher, one of two killers alongside his best friend Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich). <\/p>\n Matthew Lillard attends the \u201cFive Nights At Freddy\u2019s 2\u201d premiere on December 2, 2025. Getty Images for Universal Pictures and Blumhouse<\/p>\n \u201cI was on a walk. I was on a business call with my company, Find Familiar Spirits,\u201d he recounted to Entertainment Weekly<\/a>. \u201cI put them on hold because Kevin Williamson called me in the middle of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n The filmmaker, 60, wrote\u00a0\u201cScream,\u201d its 1997 sequel,\u00a0\u201cScream 2\u00a0and \u201cScream 4\u201d\u00a0(2011). <\/p>\n \u201cScream 7\u201d marks Williamson\u2019s first time\u00a0directing, following the death of\u00a0original director\u00a0Wes Craven\u00a0in 2015.<\/p>\n Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard at the \u201cFive Nights At Freddy\u2019s 2\u201d premiere. Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cI was like, \u2018That\u2019s really weird,’\u201d Lillard continued. \u201cI had just seen him three weeks earlier at a game night at Mike Flanagan\u2019s house. So the moment is immortalized in my mind. I picked up the phone and we had small talk for five minutes, and it was like, \u2018Do you want to come back?\u2019 I literally was like, \u2018Oh my!\u2019 I, like, screamed.\u201d<\/p>\n However, after Williamson previously denied fan theories that Stu was alive, the \u201cFive Nights at Freddy\u2019s\u201d actor thought returning was out of the question. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen he asked me, I was like, \u2018I thought you didn\u2019t want me in the film,’\u201d Lillard recalled. \u201cHe\u2019s like, \u2018I wanted you to shut up because I want you in the film.’\u201d <\/p>\n Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich in \u201cScream.\u201d Dimensions<\/p>\n Since then, the \u201cScooby-Doo\u201d star has kept tight-lipped about his character\u2019s return.<\/p>\n \u201cI will tell you, if I have a secret, I am 90 percent gonna tell someone that I have a secret,\u201d Lillard admitted. \u201cAnd the weird thing is, I have not told a single soul about how or why Stu comes back.\u201d <\/p>\n But he can\u2019t wait for fans to see this next chapter. <\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s testing through the roof,\u201d Lillard gushed. \u201cI think the last regime of actors and creatives were incredible. I think they did a great job. I think the movie was in great hands. I think Kevin\u2019s just taken it back in a way towards the original roots. I think fans are gonna be really happy.\u201d <\/p>\n Skeet Ulrich, Jamie Kennedy, Matthew Lillard in a scene from 1996\u2019s \u201cScream.\u201d \u00a9Dimension Films\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n In October, the trailer for \u201cScream 7\u201d dropped, and the last moment included the voice of Stu saying: \u201cThis is gonna be fun!\u201d <\/p>\n Lillard told EW that he \u201chad no idea\u201d that would be used. <\/p>\n \u201cThe only power of anything in this business is saying yes or no, and once you say yes, you have zero control,\u201d he noted. <\/p>\n Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Neve Campbell in \u201cScream.\u201d \u00a9Dimension Films\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n Also returning is Neve Campbell\u2019s Sidney Prescott and Courteney Cox\u2019s Gale Weathers.<\/p>\n Despite their character\u2019s being killed off, David Arquette\u2019s Dewey Riley and Scott Foley\u2019s Roman Bridger, are also back.<\/p>\n Ulrich, 55, meanwhile, confirmed to The Post<\/a> that\u00a0he was supposed to be in \u201cScream 7,\u201d until Melissa Barrera was fired after posting about the Israel-Hamas war. <\/p>\n The \u201cScream 7\u201d poster. Paramount Pictures<\/p>\n The actress, 35, played Billy\u2019s daughter, Sam Carpenter. <\/p>\n Ulrich returned in the fifth and sixth movie. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not involved. I\u2019m really excited though,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m excited for Kevin Williamson to take the helm and to see what the mastermind of it all comes up with. I have no clue.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI used to know,\u201d Ulrich continued, \u201cbecause part of coming back for five and six was being a part of seven. It was a three-picture arc for Billy Loomis, or the imagination of Billy Loomis in Melissa Barrera\u2019s character\u2019s head. But when all that went down with her, obviously you lose her and you lose what\u2019s in her head.\u201d <\/p>\n A look at \u201cScream 7.\u201d Paramount Pictures<\/p>\n A shot from the \u201cScream 7\u201d trailer. Paramount Pictures<\/p>\n Ulrich said he also \u201cused to know\u201d the full plot of \u201cScream 7\u201d and it \u201cwas really, really interesting.\u201d But now, he\u2019s in the dark.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know how Matt\u2019s back,\u201d Ulrich confessed. \u201cI have no idea, which I\u2019m kind of excited for, to see it and not know.\u201d<\/p>\n In June, Williamson told The Post<\/a> about returning: \u201cOh, it\u2019s been awesome. I\u2019ve always been on the fringes of the last few \u2018Scream\u2019 movies, as sort of the granddaddy of the franchise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cScream 7\u201d hits theaters in February 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Surprise, Matthew Lillard! 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