Scream 7 director crushes the fan theory that Stu Macher is still alive and will return as the main antagonist in Scream 8: "That's a big stretch"

Sorry Scream fans, it looks like Stu Macher really is dead as Scream 7 director Kevin Williamson confirms the OG Ghostface killer's appearance in the movie was all AI.

Scream 7 sees Matthew Lillard make his return as Stu Macher, but not in the way we thought he would. The new movie's Ghostface killers use AI technology to bring Stu back to life and trick Sidney into thinking that her ex-boyfriend's best friend really is still alive and after her once again (you can read all about it in our Scream 7 ending explained). However, certain details within the movie have convinced some fans that Stu really is still alive and will be back for Scream 8.

But, sadly, Williamson has put these theories to bed, and that Stu's comeback was really just an AI hoax. "We wanted to have our cake and eat it too," said Williamson to Esquire of the AI element. "It makes more sense. It's more real. If he's alive, that's a big stretch. We live in a world now where fake AI, we know that's possible."

However, Williamson says they did shoot an extra scene teasing Stu's future return. "We shot a little coda at the end that we had in our back pocket," said Williamson. "But oddly enough, the decision was that the audience wanted him dead."

Lillard has been openly campaigning for his big Scream comeback for many years now, and many fans believed he could still be alive since he wasn't shot in the head, which is necessary in the Scream franchise. Williamson said that right before he told Lillard, he and the star were at The Haunting of Hill House director Mike Flanagan's house, where Flanagan would not give up on pressuring Williamson to bring Stu back.

Williamson finally snapped, "Stu's dead. It will make no sense whatsoever if he's alive. I do not want to do that to this franchise. I do not want to jump the shark in that big a way." Later, the director says he called Lillard and said, "Okay, I was lying. I very, very much want Stu to come back, we all do," to which Lillard replied, "Man, I'm in."

Lillard is just one of many original stars returning, including Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers, David Arquette as Dewey Riley, and Scott Foley as Roman Bridger, despite the latter two seemingly dying earlier in the franchise.

Scream 7 is out in theatres now. For more, check out our ranking of the best Scream movies, and read our Scream 7 review.