Matthew Lillard is set to make a thrilling return to the Scream franchise in Scream 7, as reported by Deadline. Known for his iconic role as the villainous Stuart "Stu" Macher in the original 1996 Scream film, fans are buzzing with anticipation and curiosity about how Lillard will fit into the new installment. Will he reprise his role as Stu, or will he take on a new character? The mystery deepens with Lillard's teasing Instagram post, which you can view below.

The excitement continues as Lillard joins other familiar faces in Scream 7, including Neve Campbell, who returns as Sidney Prescott, and Courteney Cox. The film also stars Scott Foley, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown, promising a robust ensemble cast.

Scream 7 faced a challenging development journey. The project saw significant upheaval when Melissa Barrera was dismissed in November 2023 following her social media posts about the Gaza conflict. This was followed by the announcement that Jenna Ortega would not return, leaving both Carpenter sisters, who had been central to the franchise since Scream (2022), out of the picture.

Further complicating matters, director Christopher Landon left the project in December 2023, describing his experience as "a dream job that turned into a nightmare." However, hope emerged when Kevin Williamson, the writer behind the original Scream, Scream 2, and Scream 4, stepped in to direct. Meanwhile, the directing duo Radio Silence, responsible for Scream and Scream 6, will not direct Scream 7 but will serve as executive producers. Guy Busick, who co-wrote the last two films, is back to pen the screenplay.

Mark your calendars for Scream 7, which is slated to hit theaters on February 27, 2026.