Matthew Lillard's past comments about Scream 6 reignited debate over how far the franchise strayed from its original identity. After reinventing itself with the fifth Scream film (2022), Scream 6 quickly followed. It starred Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega, neither of whom is the reason Lillard called out the hit movie, which grossed $169 million worldwide. Scream 6, however, strayed from some of the original reasons why 1996's Scream worked, prompting Lillard to take shots at the latest horror entry.
During a podcast with Kristian Harloff in October 2024, Scream star Matthew Lillard shared his truth about the latest installment. Firstly, Lillard downplayed the initial importance of Scream, calling it "just a movie" and noting that it has remained popular due to the continual sequels over the past 30 years:
"[Scream] was just a movie. It's just a movie that caught fire and it's just been popular, because they keep making sequels."
Continuing, Lillard admitted he's seen some of the sequels, but not all of them, then called out Scream 6 for being "too violent." More specifically, he didn't understand the choice to have "Ghostface running around with a shotgun:"
"I watched a couple of them, I've missed a couple of them. I saw the last two. The last one to me is too violent. I don't really understand Ghostface running around with a shotgun."
It wasn't all negative, as Lillard said the movie still has "great moments to find levity in horrific circumstances," adding that the film is "smart:"
"I do think there's great moments to find levity in horrific circumstances and not play the joke. I think that the movie's smart. I think the movie always has to be really smart and funny."
Ironically, Lillard mentions the recent Scream films, including his (dead) character, Stu. A few months after this podcast, he was officially cast in Scream 7.
"But the last two movies, there are a whole bunch of Easter eggs that Stu is still alive and listen, who knows what happens in a horror movie."
More recently, Lillard has gone on the record (via US Weekly) saying fans should expect his return as Stu Macher in Scream 7 to feel "smart" and "familiar." Kevin Williamson, the writer of the original Scream, is playing a huge part in connecting the dots and is now writing and directing the upcoming movie.
Scream 7 has increasingly taken shape as a homecoming event for the franchise, led by Neve Campbell's return as Sidney Prescott after sitting out Scream VI due to a pay dispute.
With Williamson stepping in as director, the film is deliberately pivoting back toward the series' roots and refocusing on its original final girl. However, that nostalgia-driven reset comes at a cost: Melissa Barrera was fired from the franchise, and Jenna Ortega also exited, leaving the newer generation of leads behind in favor of legacy characters.
Will Scream 7 Be Less Violent?
The creative overhaul behind Scream 7 raised questions about whether the franchise is intentionally dialing back its violence.
In light of Lillard saying he didn't like how Ghostface used a shotgun in Scream 6, there has now been a total creative overhaul, including Lillard himself returning in some form for the upcoming movie. Perhaps the actor shared his issues with Williamson, and the franchise won't ramp up Ghostface's weaponry.
With Sidney now forced to protect her daughter, Tatum, from a new Ghostface, Scream 7 seems less interested in escalation through spectacle and more focused on old-school brutality. The new Super Bowl spot showed what appears to be a family-driven plot, which fans can check out in theaters on February 27.
