Why Matthew Lillard's New Role Surpasses Stu's Return in the Scream Franchise

Matthew Lillard is best known for his comedic roles in various movies from the 1990s and 2000s. However, he also has a notable history in the horror genre. His big screen debut was in the 1991 comedy horror film Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go To College. In 1996, he portrayed his most memorable horror role in Wes Craven's Scream.

Lillard's character, Stu Macher, made a mark in horror history alongside his partner in crime, Billy Loomis, as the first Ghostface killers in the Scream franchise. While Lillard has been involved in other horror projects ranging from supernatural horror like Thirteen Ghosts to kid-friendly horror with Scooby-Doo, none have been significant enough to surpass the impact of Scream. Fortunately, Lillard is now part of a larger and more thrilling horror franchise, making a potential return as Stu Macher in the Scream series seem less appealing.

Five Nights At Freddy's Gives Matthew Lillard A Way Bigger Horror Future Than Scream

Matthew Lillard as William Afton in Springtrap suit in Five Nights at Freddy's Exclusive header - Five Nights At Freddy's Gives Matthew Lillard A Way Bigger Horror Future Than Scream

Matthew Lillard recently played William Afton in Five Nights at Freddy’s, a horror film based on the popular video game series. Directed by Emma Tammi, the movie follows Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson), a security guard who uncovers dark secrets at the abandoned Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. The animatronic mascots of the pizzeria come to life at night, revealing a sinister truth.

In the film, Steve Raglan, Mike’s career counselor, offers him the job at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. However, it is later revealed that Steve is actually William Afton, a serial killer who hid the bodies of five children, including Mike’s brother Garrett, inside the animatronics. The souls of the children possess the animatronics, with Afton being known as the “yellow rabbit” mentioned by the ghosts of the missing children.

Towards the end of Five Nights at Freddy’s, Mike’s sister Abby (Piper Rubio) helps the ghosts/animatronics realize the truth about Afton. They turn on him and severely wound him, although his ultimate fate is left ambiguous.

William Afton is a villain with a larger presence and more backstory in his franchise compared to Stu in Scream.

In the video games, William Afton is known as the serial killer who is already deceased. His ghost possesses the animatronic Yellow Rabbit. This means that in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, Afton can make a comeback regardless of what happened to him in the first movie. If he died, his soul can take over the Yellow Rabbit animatronic. If he is still alive, he will seek revenge against Mike, Abby, and his own daughter, Vanessa, for exposing his crimes and destroying the pizzeria.

Matthew Lillard's Future in Five Nights at Freddy's vs. Scream

Lillard has a more promising future in the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise compared to Scream, even if Stu were to make a surprising return. Despite ongoing speculation about Stu's potential survival and comeback in the Scream reboot trilogy, the truth remains that William Afton holds a more significant role and backstory in Five Nights at Freddy’s. This makes it clear that Lillard's best bet for a successful career move is to focus on the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise rather than banking on a potential cameo in the Scream series.

scream-6-stu-macher-return-impossible - Matthew Lillard Returning As Stu In The Scream Franchise Would Likely Only Be A Cameo

If Stu turned out to be alive, the best way to bring him back would be in a cameo, in even less capacity than Skeet Ulrich’s Billy.

The Scream franchise made a comeback in 2022 with the first movie of a planned reboot trilogy. In Scream 2022, Stu was referenced a few times, and his house was once again the setting for the final showdown between Ghostface and the new Final Girls, although it was not mentioned if he was still alive. If Stu were to return, it would be best as a cameo, even less prominent than Skeet Ulrich's Billy, who appears as visions to his daughter, Sam (Melissa Barrera).

On the other hand, William Afton's comeback in Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is more logical and anticipated since he is the main villain of the franchise. Matthew Lillard's presence in the horror genre will extend beyond Five Nights at Freddy's, making him a fitting and exciting replacement in the Scream series for now.

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights Matthew Lillard's significant role as William Afton in the "Five Nights at Freddy's" franchise, arguing that it offers him a more promising horror future than his iconic character Stu Macher in the "Scream" series. The author provides compelling reasons for this, emphasizing Afton's larger presence and backstory in the "Five Nights at Freddy's" games and the potential for his character's return in the upcoming sequel.

The article also acknowledges the ongoing speculation about Stu Macher's possible return in the "Scream" reboot trilogy but suggests that even if he were to make a comeback, it would likely be in a limited capacity as a cameo. The author argues that Lillard's focus should be on the "Five Nights at Freddy's" franchise, where he has a more significant role and the potential for a substantial horror career. Overall, the article provides a well-reasoned argument for Lillard's future in the horror genre, highlighting the opportunities and advantages that the "Five Nights at Freddy's" franchise offers him.