Matthew Lillard Admits His Issue With Scream 6

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Matthew Lillard recently revisited his thoughts on Scream 6, sparking a discussion about whether the movie moved too far away from what made the original Scream so successful. Following a reboot in 2022 with the fifth Scream film, Scream 6 – starring Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega – quickly followed. While the movie earned $169 million globally, Lillard criticized it for losing some of the elements that made the 1996 Scream a hit.

In an October 2024 podcast interview with Kristian Harloff, Matthew Lillard, known for his role in Scream, discussed the latest film in the series. He initially minimized the original movie’s impact, describing it as “just a movie” and attributing its lasting popularity to the numerous sequels released over the last three decades.

Scream was simply a film that became popular, likely due to the continued release of sequels.

Lillard also shared that he’s watched some, but not all, of the Scream sequels, and he thought Scream 6 went too far with the violence. He specifically questioned why Ghostface was using a shotgun.

I’ve seen a few of the movies, but I’ve also missed some. I did catch the last two, though. I thought the most recent one was excessively violent – I just don’t get why Ghostface is suddenly using a shotgun.

Despite the difficult subject matter, Lillard highlighted some genuinely funny and uplifting scenes in the movie. He also praised the film for being intelligent and well-made.

I believe even in terrible situations, there’s room for humor, but it needs to be handled with care. The movie is clever, and it consistently balances intelligence with comedy.

Interestingly, Lillard talked about the recent Scream movies, even referencing his own character, Stu, who died in the films. Shortly after the podcast was recorded, he was officially announced as being in Scream 7.

The last couple of films have a lot of hidden clues suggesting Stu is still alive, and honestly, anything can happen in a horror movie.

Damian Lillard recently told US Weekly that his return as Stu Macher in Scream 7 will feel both clever and nostalgic for fans. Kevin Williamson, who wrote the first Scream movie, is heavily involved, writing and directing the new installment and working to tie everything together.

The next Scream movie, Scream 7, is coming together with the welcome return of Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott. She didn’t appear in Scream VI because of a disagreement over salary, but she’s now back for this installment.

Now that Williamson is directing, the film is intentionally returning to the core elements of the series and highlighting the original ‘final girl.’ But this shift back to the beginning means some changes: Melissa Barrera was let go, and Jenna Ortega has also left the franchise. The filmmakers are now prioritizing characters from the earlier films over the newer leads.

Will Scream 7 Be Less Violent?

Changes happening with Scream 7 have led some to wonder if the movies are becoming less violent on purpose.

After Damian Lillard expressed his disappointment with Ghostface’s use of a shotgun in Scream 6, the filmmakers have made significant creative changes. This includes plans to bring Lillard back for the next movie. It’s likely he discussed his concerns with the director, and the franchise may now avoid giving Ghostface such powerful weapons.

In the upcoming Scream 7, Sidney Prescott is now tasked with protecting her daughter, Tatum, from a new Ghostface killer. The film appears to be shifting away from big, over-the-top scares and focusing more on intense, gritty violence. A recent trailer suggests the story will center around family, and audiences can see it in theaters on February 27th.

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2026-02-15 11:12