Matthew Lillard Shares His Thoughts on ‘Scream VI’ and the Franchise’s Future

For the first time in the franchise’s history, original Scream writer Kevin Williamson will be seated in the director’s chair for the upcoming Scream 7, with Neve Campbell taking center stage once more as iconic character Sidney Prescott. Fellow original Scream star Matthew Lillard has made no secret of the fact that he’d like to return as well – “Stu is definitely alive,” he recently proclaimed – but he’s excited to see Williamson’s directorial vision either way.

Speaking with Games Radar+, Lillard offered up his thoughts on the two Scream movies directed by Radio Silence, while also expressing his excitement about the franchise’s future.

Lillard tells the outlet, “I think it’s in a good place. I think that [the franchise being] back in the hands of Kevin Williamson is great. I love what [Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin] were doing before. nothing against them. In fact, I thought they were taking a really exciting way.”

“I thought the movie got too violent. I think 6 was, like… I don’t think Ghostface ever needs a shotgun,” the actor continued, referring to last year’s Scream VI. “I think that the movies are – everything is trying to repeat what we did in the first movie in a lot of ways. Like, a maniacal monologue at the end. It’s really hard to do.”

Lillard adds, “I hope that Kevin takes it in a brand new, brave, and exciting direction so that we can sort of find different colors and different joys.”

Matthew Lillard’s Stu Macher was of course one of the original Ghostface killers in Wes Craven’s Scream, his character long believed to be dead after being stabbed multiple times and getting a television set dropped on his head. As much as Lillard would love to reprise the role, it sounds like he’s just as excited to see the Scream saga reinvent itself going forward.

What direction will Williamson take the franchise?