The reason Scream is my favorite slasher franchise is the lack of supernatural elements in the movies. The idea that anyone could be Ghostface, which is what makes the killer a movie character that helped reshape genre expectations, and that Ghostface could exist in our real world, automatically makes him a more terrifying antagonist than the other popular slasher villains.
So, when Scream 7was announced, and we learned soon after that Matthew Lillard would return as Stu Macher, one of the original Ghostfaces, I will admit I became skeptical. I love that dead characters stay dead in the Scream franchise, and if somehow Stu returns through supernatural means, that could potentially end my investment in Ghostface and the franchise.
While there are hints in Scream 7‘s trailer that say Stu is Ghostface, there is still space for liberty in the analysis of the trailer. The hints could also be pointing to Stu Macher’s return in spirit, not as a ghost, but through other, more natural means. While I wait for the film’s release, I can’t help but make theories.
The New Killer Should Be A Stu Macher Fan
2022’s Scream requel did an amazing job of reviving Billy Loomis in the form of Samantha (Melissa Barrera)’s vision. We later learn that Billy was Sam’s father, and the visions were a form of cosmic acknowledgment of her parentage. Loomis would appear in her mind in reflections on various surfaces and urge her to give in to her murderous instincts.
Taking a page out of that film’s book, Stu Macher could also return through visions. It would, however, be a blatant copy and a shameless attempt on the franchise’s part to replace Melissa Barrera after unjustly firing her for calling for a ceasefire in Gaza to just make the new character Stu Macher’s child or someone closely related to him.
So, the ideal way for Macher to return would be through a copycat killer. They would be an obsessed fan who would develop delusions of grandeur due to their affection for the dead killer. Then, Stu Macher could easily appear in front of their eyes through visions they would get after poring over reports and records for days on end.
The best part of making the new Ghostface a Stu Macher fan is that it would explain why they became a Ghostface, unlike Sam, who rejects her connection to Billy Loomis at the end of Scream VI. However, if the character adores Macher, then they would want to emulate him, which would prompt them to become Ghostface to pay homage.
Scream 7 Should Recreate The Original Ghostface Duo’s Iconic Kills
If the new Ghostface is a crazed Stu Macher fan trying to revive him, that also opens up the possibility of the franchise revisiting some of its most beloved kills. The original Scream movie features some innovative kills by Ghostface that deserve to finally be recreated on the movie’s 30th anniversary, which should ideally coincide with Scream 7‘srelease date.
For instance, of the many phobias that horror movies have created in me, among the most debilitating is the fear of garage doors developed as a result of watching Scream. Tatum Riley (Rose McGowan) is crushed by a garage door after she gets stuck in the cat flap, and Ghostface pushes the activator, which sends the door to the top.
We learn from the Scream 7 trailer that Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has named her daughter after her best friend, Tatum. It would be too on the nose to kill her the same way, but I hope Scream 7 will recreate the garage door, hopefully on a different victim, and some of Stu and Billy’s other iconic kills as well.
The Stu Macher Copycat Should Die In The Same Way
Another iconic kill from the original Scream movie, which is still one of the most creative slasher movies in history, is Stu Macher’s death. The first-ever Ghostface death, at Sidney’s hands, is arguably also the most iconic Ghostface death, alongside Scream VI‘s Ghostface death, which involves Sam stabbing him at least 40 times before also stabbing him in the eye.
After Sidney discovers the identity of the two Ghostfaces, she finds herself in a kill-or-be-killed situation, and electrocutes Stu Macher to death by dropping a TV on his head. The practical effects are unimaginably good, and if the new killer is a Stu Macher copycat, their dying in the same way would be just cheesy enough for it to work.
We Still Don’t Know How Stu Macher Will Actually Return
Now, all this is still entirely conjecture. All we know about Stu Macher’s return in Scream 7 is that Matthew Lillard has been cast in the movie. It has been confirmed that he’ll be reprising his role from the 1996 Scream movie, but no other details about his character’s potential revival have been divulged yet, not even in the trailer.
However, Screamis one of the best horror franchises with over five movies, which has steadily entertained viewers for nearly three decades now. So, while it will be a tough ask to justify Stu’s return without introducing a supernatural element or using a convenient plot device, I trust the franchise to know a suitable way for Stu Macher to return.
