Washington DC [US], January 31 (HBTV): Matthew Lillard, who was seen in Wes Craven's original Scream, is set to rejoin the cast of this horror franchise for its seventh installment, reported Variety.

Following the exit of both Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega from the Scream franchise after leading a duo of series revivals in 2022 and 2023, the makers have onboarded several original stars such as Courteney Cox and Neve Campbell. Matthew's arrival is the latest addition to the cast. Kevin Williamson, who wrote the original Scream, will direct this upcoming installment. Paramount has set a February 27, 2026, release date.

Matthew's arrival in Scream 7 has also surprised some fans of the horror/slasher movie franchise. He played the character of teen Stu Macher, one of the two killers in the first Scream, who was electrocuted to death in the movie, reported Variety. However, an actor returning from the dead isn't an unprecedented occurrence for the Scream franchise.

Skeet Ulrich, who starred in Scream as Billy Loomis, the killer in cahoots with Lillard's Stu, reprised that role in the 2022 Scream revival, appearing in a character's hallucinatory visions.

After the success of the 2022 Scream revival, the producers were quick to churn out Scream VI, which was released 15 months later, reported Deadline. It also starred Jenna Ortega in the lead role.

The other cast members returning for the film include Neve Campbell as scream queen Sidney Prescott and Mason Gooding as her fellow Ghostface survivor, Chad Meeks-Martin. Meanwhile, Scott Foley has also joined the cast of Scream 7 after playing the role of Ghostface Killer in Scream 3. Details regarding his character and the film's plot are currently under wraps, reported Variety.

The new additions to the star cast include Isabel May, Celeste O'Connor, Asa Germann, Mckenna Grace, Sam Rechner, and Anna Camp. The plot of the new film is being kept under wraps.

Scream launched in 1996 with the late Wes Craven going on to direct three sequels known for skewering horror genre tropes. In 2022, the fifth film reinvented the franchise under the direction of directing team Radio Silence, with Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette returning alongside a crew of new actors.

(ANI)