After a turbulent stretch for the Scream franchise, director swaps, cast exits, and debates over the series’ direction, the upcoming Scream 7 is shaping up to be something of a reset. The movie marks Kevin Williamson’s long-awaited return to the director’s chair, and if you ask Matthew Lillard, the upcoming horror movie is leaning heavily into that old-school Woodsboro DNA. In a recent interview, the actor weighed in on how the latest chapter will differ from the franchise’s newer entries.
Lillard, who’s reprising one half of the original Ghostface Killers, under circumstances that remain extremely mysterious, recently spoke with ComicBookMovie about the tone of the film and how it compares to the franchise’s recent entries. And according to him, Williamson’s approach is precisely what long-time fans have been hoping for. The SLC Punk! actor emphasized that the energy behind the movie felt instantly right the moment he heard the pitch:
Kevin's take is a little more traditional in terms of the Scream franchise, and I think people are going to be excited. I hope they are. Early on, testing has been through the roof, which is thrilling. I'm excited to see what happens.
Scream 7 arrives after the recent revival films put a modern, meta spin on the slasher, with a new cast at the center and Radio Silence behind the camera. Lillard made it clear he thought that team did strong work, and praised Melissa Barrera and the young ensemble, as well as the directing duo’s vision, but this chapter hits a different register.
He went on to describe his reaction to Williamson’s initial pitch, reflecting on how surreal it was to be asked back after decades of speculation about Stu’s fate:
[Kevin] pitched the idea, I was excited to read it, and I got the script a couple of weeks later. I think it's great. Wes [Craven] would be very proud. It's in the lines of what the franchise used to be. I think the franchise was in a great place with that new team. Melissa was fantastic, the boys were great, and Radio Silence were fantastic directors.
It’s a thoughtful and surprisingly diplomatic stance to acknowledge the strength of the recent films while making it clear that the seventh entry is operating with a distinctly nostalgic compass. And based on the Without A Paddle star’s comments, audiences responding at early test screenings seem to agree.
Recently, I rewatched the entire series, and several things still hold up, including Lillard's incredible performance as Stu. But it, of course, left me with one of the biggest lingering questions: How is Stu returning at all, given the very clear 'TV to the head' situation back in 1996? But with multiple legacy actors returning—including Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox—and several actors whose characters are not canonically alive, such as David Arquette (Deputy Dewey) and Scott Foley, those questions may be part of the fun.
Whether this next installment answers all of fandom’s long-running theories or throws even more chaos into the mix, Lillard’s enthusiasm makes me think Scream 7 is steering directly into that tone and style that made the series iconic in the first place. And that has this long-running horror movie fan beyond excited.
Ghostface returns when Scream 7 hits the 2026 movie schedule and theaters on February 27, 2026. As for Matthew Lillard, he returns on the 2025 movie release calendar, starring in the Five Nights At Freddy’s 2, hitting theaters on December 5.
