The lead-up to release of Scream 7 frustrating, to say the least. The departure of Jenna Ortega, the firing of Melissa Barreradirector’s exit, etc. but Neve Campbell is back. Kevin Williamson is back. And, in what may be the most exciting part of the pre-release hype, Matthew Lillard is back.

Lillard’s return was not officially confirmed before the release, however his voice was heard in the trailers. and now that the film is outwe know not only that Lillard is back, but also that he will have an important role in the film. What we didn’t know was that before the release of the film, the role was quite different and, frankly, quite shocking. Spoilers follow.

If you have seen or read about scream 7, You know Matthew Lillard’s character, Stu, is back in the movie. Kind of. He can only be seen on screens, so the characters are not sure if he is alive or not. We all watched him die 30 years ago in the original film, after all. Well, at the end of the movie, we learn that Stu is just an AI creation of the real killers, played by Anna Camp and Ethan Embry. We will discuss this feature in more detail.

So Stu is dead, and his likeness is being used by the AI ​​to cover up new killers. However, in a recent interview, Scream 7 Co-writer and director Kevin Williamson revealed that they didn’t just play around with the idea of ​​Stu to be honest alive, but they also filmed a scene that proved it. “(Co-writer Guy Busick) writes all things AI,” Williamson Esquire said.

“The first time I read it, I was like, ‘How can this be done? How can he survive?’ Also, if it’s AI, will part of the audience be disappointed that he’s not real? We played that game. And I’d be lying if I said we didn’t shoot it both ways.

The reporter then asked Williamson to clarify the last point: “Oh, really? There’s an alternate ending where Stu is actually alive?”

“(Nods.) We shot a little coda at the end that was in our back pocket,” said the director. “But surprisingly, the decision was that THE audience want him dead.” Williamson then confirmed that test listeners saw Stu’s “little coda” live but didn’t like it.

“It makes more sense (if he’s dead),” Williamson said. ‘It’s more real. If he were alive, that would be one GREAT stretching. We live in a world today where with fake AI, we know that is possible.

While Williamson is right that Stu somehow manages to fake his death and remain incognito for 30 years is not as believable as his death, these are the movies. We are not here for faith. We are here to have fun. The test audience is there to give their honest opinions, but sometimes, you just have to believe in the choice, be brave, and go for it.

Also, if you read between the lines, it sure sounds like he’s saying the film plays out exactly how it is now and then reveals that Stu is alive at the end, setting him up for the future. We wonder if that is really the implication or not.

Either way, what’s done is done. Scream 7 is in theaters, and Stu is dead. Would you prefer that not be the case? Let us know below. And read more from Williamson above Esquire.

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