Summary
- Stu Macher from Scream makes a comeback in Scream 7, sparking fan theories about his survival.
- A fan theory suggests Stu could return as Ghostface in Scream 7, bringing gore and chaos.
- While some say Stu died in the first movie, others are open to his return with unrealistic plot twists.
After supposedly dying in the first Scream movie released in 1996, Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) has been a big topic of discussion for several decades. For many horror fans, he’s one of the greatest and most interesting Ghostface killers, and audiences have been waiting for his comeback. Now, with the exciting news that Lillard will appear in Scream 7, some fans think Stu lived through Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) hitting him with a TV, and others think there’s no practical way to explain his survival.
While fans know that Scream 7 is set in a new small town, no one is sure what’s going to happen to Stu’s character arc. Audiences are thinking a lot about Lillard’s character, and some are convinced that he didn’t die. One fan theory suggests why Stu could come back to Scream 7, and it’s an engaging idea.
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Could This Fan Theory Explain Why Stu Macher Is Back In Scream 7?
One Redditor posted that since people have said that Scream 7 is going to be gorier and more violent than past installments, this could mean Stu Macher is Ghostface in the upcoming sequel. The fan wrote:
“Stu was the one who went all-out with the gore in the original Scream (1996)… took things to that next, totally unhinged level.”
The fan continued,
“Can you even imagine the absolute chaos if he finally steps out of the shadows, after all these years, and says those iconic words: ‘Surprise, Sidney’?”
This fan theory is interesting and unique. While many fans think Stu could come back as a ghost or in a hopefully compelling flashback, not everyone thinks he’s still alive. If Stu was Ghostface for a second time, it would definitely be shocking, unexpected, and scary. After all, many would argue that Stu was the best Ghostface in the slasher franchise because he’s so entertaining. He’s funny without trying to be and seems to live in his own world. As this fan said, Stu killed characters in some gruesome ways. If he came back as Ghostface again, he would likely do the same thing. Several Ghostfaces are motivated by revenge, and this time, Stu would want to get even with Sidney since his best friend Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) died.
It’s definitely possible for some Scream fans to argue that Stu died in the first movie. Since Sidney Prescott throws a TV set on him, it’s challenging to say that his chances for survival were high. It’s also true that in the past, when Scream characters have been killed, they have remained dead.
However, Scream isn’t always a completely logical or practical franchise. There are some plot holes that are hard to explain, especially in Scream 6. For example, it’s confusing that Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere) wouldn’t know about Richie Kirsch’s (Jack Quaid) family. It also seems odd that Ghostface ruined Sidney’s rental car in Scream 4 in daylight without anyone seeing. If Stu randomly showed up again in Scream 7, some fans would say it was unrealistic, and others would be fine with it.
Just like some fans think Scream should only be set in Woodsboro, California, others want Stu to be alive, even if there isn’t a long or detailed explanation. If Stu is the Scream 7 killer, it would definitely be surprising, and it might be the huge twist that the slasher franchise needs. After all, after six movies, it’s hard to tell a truly unexpected story. But if Scream 7 has the same humorous tone that the previous films have, why not bring Stu back, say he’s been alive this entire time, and joke about how everyone thought he was dead? That way, the movie would acknowledge that audiences aren’t so sure that Stu could have it through such a violent ordeal.
What Has The Scream Cast And Crew Said About Stu Macher?
Ever since Scream came out in 1996, fans have been intrigued by the prospect of Stu Macher’s return, and the cast and crew have discussed Matthew Lillard’s character in several interviews. In March 2023, the cast was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight and Skeet Ulrich said “I really hope” about Stu coming back. Ulrich said Lillard “is an incredible human being and I know he wants it bad.”
In the same interview, Kevin Williamson, who is directing Scream 7, shared his own thoughts about whether Stu’s Scream journey was truly finished. The filmmaker said:
“I mean, I would say never but I have always been wrong when I do.”
Williamson also said:
“There’s always that twin brother theory.”
Scream 7
- Release Date
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February 27, 2026
- Director
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Kevin Williamson
- Writers
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Kevin Williamson, Guy Busick, James Vanderbilt
- Producers
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Cathy Konrad, Gary Barber, Marianne Maddalena, Peter Oillataguerre, William Sherak, Chad Villella, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, Ron Lynch
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Neve Campbell
Sidney Prescott
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Courteney Cox
Gale Weathers
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Mason Gooding
Chad Meeks-Martin
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Jasmin Savoy Brown
Mindy Meeks-Martin
More
Scream (2022) Took Big Risks, According To One Fan & I Think Scream 7 Needs To Go Even Further
Scream (2022) was a fresh and exciting addition to the popular slasher franchise, and when Scream 7 comes out, I hope it’s just as creative.