Matthew Lillard’s Scream 7 Stu Macher Return Is What The Franchise Needs

Stu Macher is one of the funniest, most engaging, and most surprising horror movie characters. Before the big reveal at the end of Scream, audiences thought he was simply Billy Loomis’s (Skeet Ulrich) silly friend and Sidney Prescott’s (Neve Campbell) annoying classmate. But when audiences learn Stu is one of the franchise’s first two Ghostfaces, Matthew Lillard’s character becomes much more significant. Then, when Sidney says she’s going to call the police and Stu says the unforgettable line “My mom and dad are gonna be so mad at me!” Stu cements himself as a beloved part of the franchise.

Now that Lillard will appear in Scream 7, everyone wants to know where Stu is now and whether he’s truly dead or somehow still alive. Lillard made a great recent joke about his return, and there is one main reason why it’s a great idea for this iconic character to come back.

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Stu Macher’s Scream 7 Return Adds The Right Amount Of Intrigue

Scream 7 has had a lot of changes behind the scenes, and fans wonder if the franchise has a lot of life left. Previous Ghostfaces have shared similar motives, whether they want to become celebrities or to get revenge on Sidney Prescott, and some think the story is getting old. That’s exactly why it’s so exciting that Stu Macher is coming back.

Fans are having fun thinking about why Stu is returning and how he can possibly appear again since he seemed to die in the original Scream. But fans are now debating whether Stu is alive or if he could return via flashback or as a spirit, and that’s the excitement and mystery that the franchise needs after almost 30 years.

There are only so many surprises left in a franchise like Scream. Ghostface always looks the same, Sidney is always the final girl, and there are always jokes about horror films. While these are all reasons why fans come back time and time again to these smart and fun movies, it’s still fair to argue that Scream can’t shock people anymore. Whether Stu is alive or dead, the announcement that Lillard is returning has already surprised everyone, and that’s something to celebrate. It can be hard to stand out in a crowd of reboots, sequels, and requels where every movie feels the exact same. Scream 7 has already cemented itself as a film with some twists, turns, and tricks up its sleeve, especially since Scott Foley is also coming back to play Roman Bridger.

It’s great that Stu’s return is getting so many people talking, and it has created some necessary buzz for Scream 7. Since so many fans wanted Stu to come back, they feel satisfied already and are even more ready to see the sequel. It’s also true that after so many shifts, such as Christopher Landon no longer directing Scream 7, Stu’s return feels like a move in the right direction. Even if some fans are wary of what new Ghostface could possibly come back to haunt and stalk Sidney and her friends and family, they still are likely curious to see if Stu is alive or dead.

What Did Matthew Lillard Say About His Scream Character Stu Macher?

Besides saying that he believes that Stu Macher is still alive, Matthew Lillard has said some compelling things about his Ghostface character over the years. In an interview with Collider, he said, “I don’t really care about Stu Macher” and explained, “I love that job, it’s been nice to have that in my resume, but the reality is that it’s a part I did 20-plus years ago.” He added that he appreciates the love that fans have for Stu. Since people have enjoyed watching the actor’s portrayal of Stu for so long, it’s no wonder there are so many ideas about how Stu can come back.

In a 2011 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lillard said he’s happy he was “the OG killer.” He said he thinks people enjoy Scream because:

Scream 7

Release Date

February 27, 2026

Director

Kevin Williamson

Writers

Kevin Williamson, Guy Busick, James Vanderbilt

Producers

Cathy Konrad, Gary Barber, Marianne Maddalena, Peter Oillataguerre, William Sherak, Chad Villella, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, Ron Lynch

• 

  Neve Campbell

  Sidney Prescott

• 

  Courteney Cox

  Gale Weathers

• 

  Mason Gooding

  Chad Meeks-Martin

• 

  Jasmin Savoy Brown

  Mindy Meeks-Martin

More

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