The Enduring Mystery of Stu Macher's Fate: Matthew Lillard Speaks Out

Matthew Lillard's Perspective

Original Scream star Matthew Lillard has spoken out about the theories regarding his character Stu Macher’s fate in the franchise, with his perspective providing a crucial task for Scream 7. While the actor recently returned to the mainstream horror scene with his role in the 2023 box office hit Five Nights at Freddy’s, Matthew Lillard rose to fame in the genre for playing the iconic Stu Macher, one of Scream’s (1996) two Ghostface killers. The actor had a small voice cameo in Scream (2022), but otherwise hasn’t been seen in the franchise since his character’s demise at the hands of Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott in the original movie.

Custom image of Matthew Lillard as Stu and Ghostface in Scream 6.

Still, this hasn’t stopped an abundance of theories from speculating that Stu Macher actually survived the crushing and electrocution by TV. While Billy Loomis was clarified as dead in Scream’s original ending, the franchise has seemingly left Easter eggs that could indicate Stu’s secret survival, from a scrapped Scream 3 idea to Mindy’s theory about Stu’s fate in Scream 6. After 27 years of theories about what really happened to Stu Macher and further demands for Lillard to return to the horror franchise, such as in the upcoming Scream 7, the actor has given a candid response about his thoughts on the long-standing debate.

Scream Stu covered in blood talking on the phone

Matthew Lillard Wants An End To The Debate About Stu's Fate In The Scream Franchise

Stu Macher smiling and holding up a gun in Scream

The Debate Continues

Rather than fueling the debate with more ambiguity or failing to address it, Matthew Lillard wants a concrete answer about Stu Macher’s fate in the next Scream movie. While he’s unsure whether he would return to Scream in the future, especially after Scream 7’s recent cast exits, the actor still hopes that the franchise will clarify whether Stu is dead or alive. Lillard noted that rather than being frequently asked by the public about a potential appearance in the franchise’s future, he’d like for it to be “put to bed one way or the other.' Still, regardless of whether Stu is confirmed as dead or alive in Scream, Lillard still has the opportunity to reprise his role.

Matthew Lillard as Stu Macher yelling and looking scared in Scream

Original Scream actor Skeet Ulrich has notably reprised his role as the deceased Ghostface killer Billy Loomis in Scream (2022) and Scream 6, though Sam and Tara Carpenter’s absences from Scream 7 put his return in question. Additionally, Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby Reed, who was thought to have died in Scream 4’s ending, was revealed to be alive in Scream (2022) before officially returning in Scream 6. The franchise has a shaky history with the concrete nature of its characters’ fates when left ambiguous for too long, so it’s finally time to confirm Stu’s fate – if not to give the former Ghostface killer solid closure, then to keep Lillard from being asked the question for another 27 years.

A bloody Sydney runs into a smiling Stu in his house in Scream.

How Scream 7 Can End The Stu Macher Theories For Good

The upcoming sequel could finally end the debate around Stu Macher’s fate in numerous ways, depending on whether the franchise chooses to revive him or confirm he’s dead. If electing to confirm that he died back in 1996, Scream 7 could feature the ghost of Stu, characters visiting his grave, or some sort of flashback to prove that Sidney killed him. If Scream 7 confirms once and for all that Stu Macher is dead, his ghost could still potentially return alongside Billy, likely utilizing the same CGI de-aging technique from the most recent reboot films on Matthew Lillard.

Stu and Billy smiling creepily in Scream

Alternatively, revealing Stu Macher is alive in Scream 7 could easily be accomplished by bringing Matthew Lillard back as the living character. Like some theories suggest, Stu could have secretly been in prison or changed his identity somehow, hiding his survival until an opportune time to get revenge on Sidney and those who survived past Woodsboro Ghostface massacres. Even without Lillard reprising his role, Scream 7 could confirm Stu Macher’s survival by having Kirby Reed track him down through the FBI, Gale find him through her investigative journalism, or see Ghostface find him first before taunting the others with the knowledge of his fate.