The Scream film franchise changed the horror genre forever when it broke onto the scene in 1996. The series has spawned several sequels in the years since, and now, a seventh film is in the works. What’s more, it’s just been announced that Matthew Lillard – known for playing Stu Macher, one of two antagonists in the original film – has joined the cast of Scream 7.
This is a huge development and an announcement that fans have been waiting to hear for decades. Fans have long theorized whether or not Stu Macher really was killed at the end of Scream. And, while we still don’t have an answer, it’s been revealed via Deadline that Matthew Lillard is officially returning to the franchise in some capacity all these years later.
Lillard himself teased the announcement on Instagram, which you can see in a clever little video shared below. The clip shows Matthew Lillard writing a note with the following quote from the original Scream movie to tease his Scream 7 return:
“My mom and dad are gonna be so mad at me!”
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While it’s still unclear how exactly Lillard will fit into the film, and whether or not he really is playing Stu, the above video does seem to imply this is the Stu we all know and love. With the addition of Scott Foley, who previously played Roman, this is shaping up to be quite the story.
Kevin Williamson, the creator of the Scream franchise, is currently directing the film from a screenplay written by Guy Busick. Whatever their new take is for the film, it certainly sounds like one that fans of every Scream iteration will be able to enjoy.
Fans will be able to see Scream 7 when the film hits theaters on February 27, 2026. Now that we know both Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley are returning, fans are definitely going to be eager to see this highly-anticipated follow-up. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates as we have them.