Kevin Williamson, the original author for Scream, has responded to actor Matthew Lillard’s claim that Stu Macher survived the events of the franchise’s first film in 1996.
Stu, played by Lillard, was one of two killers in 1996’s Scream who wore the Ghostface mask, the other being Billy Loomis, played by Skeet Ulrich. By the time the credits rolled, both killers had been killed: Billy was shot in the head, and Stu was electrocuted to death after television was dumped on his head.
Lillard Is Interested In Reprising His Role As the Masked Killer
Lillard indicated an interest in reprising his role as Stu in the upcoming fifth Scream film in May of last year. Later that year, Lillard used Twitter to share his theory about how Stu might have survived. “I mean… it was just a TV? Right? You’d think he’d survive?” wrote the actor. Lillard appeared in part 2 in 1997, although not as Stu; instead, he played an extra in a frat party scene. A storey circulated on the internet that he also appeared as an extra in 2011’s Part 4, but this does not appear to be true.
Us Weekly Interview
During a recent interview with Us Weekly, Williamson, the writer of Scream, Part 2, and Part 4, was asked about Lillard’s theory about Stu’s survival.
“Well, he’s just standing at the frat party in Scream 2,” the writer said. “He is an extra! He showed up on set that night. I mean Stu does live forever. It’s interesting. I get more flack for killing Randy in Scream 2. I hear, ‘Why did you kill Randy?’ It’s because you really, really liked him!”
Is Stu’s Return In The Works?
Interestingly, during an appearance on The Bob Bendick Podcast a few years ago (before the release of Part 4), Lillard revealed that Stu’s return was in the works at one point. According to Lillard, an early script for Part 3 revealed that Stu was still alive and planning new murders from behind bars. The plan, however, was eventually abandoned. Roman Bridger (Scott Foley), the long-lost half-brother of primary protagonist Sidney Prescott, was revealed as the killer in Part 3 in 2000. (Never Campbell).
It should be remembered, however, that Scream 3 was the only film in the original Scream tetralogy not written by Williamson, instead of being written by Ehren Kruger. Williamson prepared a five-page concept for two sequels when he wrote the first Movie. Despite the fact that Williamson went on to create a full script for part 2, he was unable to do so for part 3. In the third picture, Kruger took over as writer and is reported to have deleted many of Williamson’s notes. Williamson returned to write part 4 in the end.
On January 14, 2022, the fifth Scream film, simply titled Scream, will be released. The film is directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, making it the second film not written by Williamson and the first not directed by horror icon Wes Craven, who died in 2015. As an executive producer on the new film, Williamson is still involved.
Scream releases in theatres on Jan. 14, 2022.
