Summary
As far ashorrorvillains go,Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) is a complete original. He makes silly jokes throughout the movie and while he’s undeniably violent, he shocks audiences byacting afraid during his big confrontation with final girl Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell)at the end of 1996’sScream. Stu set the standard for all other Ghostfaces, and there’s no doubt that he’s one of the greatest.
With Lillard returning toScream 7as Stu Macher, fanshope the slasher sequel will take creative risks. While it’s impossible to know how Stu can really come back since he seemed to die in the 1996 film, there is one plotline that wouldn’t work well.
Scream 7 Shouldn’t Use This Stu Macher Storyline Or It Could Be Disappointing
According toPEOPLE, Matthew Lillard was onapanel with otherScreamcast members at 90s Conin late March 2025 and he said:
“I will say, I can’t say anything about it, obviously. But I am very excited and slightly terrified to be back because all I can do is really screw up a legacy that we have.”
He continued:
“I could really suck, and so that’s my fear. My fear is that I come back and sort of punish something that I could never have touched and been just fine. I hope I don’t f it up for everyone.”
While fans will be glad to see Lillard return as Stu Macher inScream 7, andhis mysterious presence is creating hype and anticipation, it would be a shameif Stu were revealed as one of the Ghostface killers. For one thing, Sidney Prescott kills Stu with a TV set, andit doesn’t make sense for Stu to be alive today. But there is an even more important reason why Stu shouldn’t be Ghostface again:he wouldn’t have a unique or interesting enough motive. It would also be hard to believe that Stu was stalking Sidney all this time.
The most crucial parts of everyScreammovie arethe opening sequence and the big killer reveal. They both have to be intriguing and memorable. Fans expect theScream 7killer or killers to have a brand new motivation that previous villains wearing the black and white mask didn’t have. For example, fans criticized the Ghostfaces inScream (2022)for being motivated by fame, which was the same motive thatJill Roberts (Emma Roberts) had inScream 4. Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) wanted to get revenge on Sidney inScream,and if Stu were Ghostface inScream 7, he would also be motivated by getting even. That isn’t exciting enough.
Bringing back any legacy character is tricky, and whencharacters like Stu and Roman Bridger (Scott Foley)have been dead for a while, it becomes even more challenging. But fans have high expectations for Stu’s return, and it has to be perfect. It might make the most sense to showa video message Stu once recorded for Sidney. Maybe Stu and Billy had a master plan that they never finished and Sidney learns more about them through this video. Since she has a teenage daughter now, it would be logical for Sidney to reflect on her high school years and to think about fighting back against Stu and Billy.
What Other Horror Movies Has Matthew Lillard Starred In?
Besides playing Stu Macher inScream 7,Matthew Lillard also played Steve Raglan inFive Nights at Freddy’s. He also played a screenwriter turned teacher named Joel Brandt in 2008’sMessages Deletedand psychic Dennis Rakfin inThirteen Ghosts, which was released in 2001. Those two definitely qualify asforgotten 2000s horror movies, but it’s always fun to see the talented and hilarious Lillard in a film.
Lillard’sFive Nights at Freddy’srole is as exciting and surprisingas his turn inScream, and fans are glad thatLillard is coming back forFive Nights at Freddy’s 2.In an interview with IGN, Lillard talked aboutthe 2023 horror movie’s endingand compared it to the epic scene with Stu and Billy Loomis at the end of 1996’sScream. He said:
“it’s the first time I’ve chewed scenery sinceScream—Well, not the first time, but you know. It definitely has that same vibe in terms of the energy level at the end. Which is crazy, right?”
Lillard also mentioned that his character has “a really high level of energy” in that scene. While fans are unsure about how the actor will appear again inScream 7, there’s no doubt that Lillard will do an impressive job.
