How Matthew Lillard could return as Stu for Scream VII

For many Scream fans, there is no better storyline for Scream VII than a return for Matthew Lillard as Stu Macher.

In the first Scream movie, released in 1996, Stu is revealed to be one of the two killers terrorising Sidney Prescott as the knife-wielding Ghostface.

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In a final battle at his home, Stu is killed by Sidney after she drops a TV on his head, electrocuting him and crushing his skill. Still, there was no definitive proof that Stu actually died, which has led to plenty of speculation about a potential return, perhaps in Scream VII.

Lillard previously revealed that Stu is indeed alive, as he was supposed to be the main antagonist in Scream 3 before the Columbine school shooting led to a script change.

"I’m the grandfather of Stu-truthers," he told Vulture.

"I was supposed do Scream 3. I got paid for 3. Not really well, but I ended up getting paid for something I didn’t do because the idea was that I’d be running high-school killers from jail."

On the Bob Benedick podcast, the actor also said: "From jail, I was kind of masterminding this attack against Sidney and so three weeks before we were supposed to start shooting, Columbine High School broke out, and they changed everything. They kind of took the script and threw it to the side. They bought me out and I never did the third one."

So, there we have it, Stu is alive and apparently free to come and get Sidney again, should Neve Campbell return after sitting out Scream VI.

Will Neve Campbell return to Scream?

Scream VII is happening and fans are still clamouring for Sidney to return after Campbell refused to take part in Scream VI due to a pay dispute.

Could Sidney make a comeback?

"It's a hard question, because it's a matter of principle, as well," the actress replied on KiSS 92.5 when asked if fan support could catalyse a return to the franchise.

"As much as I love the characters that I've played and ones that I've had a history with, it's also very important to me the concept of equal pay. I think we're still not there yet. I really do believe that had I been a male, that the offer would have been different. I can't prove that, but it's the feeling I have and the way that I was treated was not great and it feels disrespectful. So at what point does self-respect come into play? It needs to always be there, right?"

Melissa Barrera was recently fired from Scream VII for social media posts relating to the Israel-Palestine conflict, while Jenna Ortega also dropped out.