Matthew Lillard addresses a possible return to the Scream franchise. The actor starred in the original 1996 slasher as Stu Macher who, along with Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), were the two original Ghostface killers to terrorize Woodsboro. Both were killed by Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) with Stu having a television set dropped on his head. Over the years, Lillard has remained open to the possibility that Stu survived, tweeting in 2020, “I mean… it was just a TV? Right?” and in 2023’s Scream VI, Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown) makes a passing reference to Stu possibly being alive.
Now, in conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Lillard addressed the possibility of returning to the Scream franchise following the recent departures of Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega. Despite these developments, Lillard thinks it’s unlikely he will return as Stu Macher unless “there’s a world where it makes sense.” In that case, he wants the franchise to clarify whether his character is dead or alive. Read his full comments below:
I don’t think so. I don’t think so. I mean, look, with what they’re going through right now, I have no idea where that goes. If there’s a world where it makes sense, then sure. I mean, they keep mentioning it, they keep tip-toeing around the outside… I hope they put it to bed one way or the other. I can’t walk down the street without somebody asking me if I’m going to be in Episode 35 or whatever.
The Scream Franchise May Need Matthew Lillard Following Its Recent Departures
Ever since Scream was rebooted, the franchise has been hemorrhaging cast and characters with each installment. Scream (2022) killed off an original character, Dewey (David Arquette), and the face of the franchise, Neve Campbell, declined to return as Sidney in Scream VI due to a salary dispute. In November 2023, the franchise lost its new faces, Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, who played sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter. The former was fired for making controversial comments about the Israel–Hamas war and, the following day, Ortega dropped out of Scream 7 due to a scheduling conflict with Wednesday season 2.
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With these cast members gone, Scream certainly has some holes to fill, and reports indicate Campbell and Scream 3 star Patrick Dempsey are being eyed to return. Lillard is another recognizable face the franchise could bring back to make up for its recent losses. However, as the actor says, there needs some clarification on whether his character is dead or alive. In Scream VI, Kirby (Hayden Panettiere) mentions Macher’s demise and Mindy replies, “If you believe he’s dead.” If Stu is in fact deceased, he could always return in ghost form, similar to his former Ghostface accomplice Billy Loomis.
Scream
Wes Craven flips the horror-slasher genre on its head with the 1996 release of Scream, the first in the long-running franchise. The residents of Woodsboro discover a series of murders are being committed by a dangerous ghost mask-wearing killer with an obsession for classic horror movies. To survive, a group of high school students, a reporter, and a town deputy will have to subvert horror expectations and stay one step ahead of the killer.
- Release Date
- December 20, 1996
- Director
- Wes Craven
- Cast
- Jamie Kennedy , Skeet Ulrich , Drew Barrymore , Rose McGowan , Neve Campbell , David Arquette , Roger Jackson , Courteney Cox , matthew lillard
- Rating
- R
- Runtime
- 111 minutes
- Genres
- Horror , Mystery
- Writers
- Kevin Williamson
- Website
- https://www.miramax.com/movie/scream/
- Franchise
- Scream
- Sequel
- Scream 2, Scream 4, Scream 3
- Cinematographer
- Mark Irwin
- Producer
- Cary Woods, Cathy Konrad
- Production Company
- Woods Entertainment, Dimension Films
- Budget
- $14 million
