Things are shaking up in Hollywood as A-list actors are jumping onto major franchises and promising excitement for fans awaiting upcoming big screen releases.
From an actor who killed his role as a masked, murdering maniac; to a legendary actress who embodied a badass alien-killing girlboss – here’s what you need to know about iconic actors taking on new roles in major franchises.
Sigourney Weaver Joins “Star Wars” Franchise
When you think about it, Sigourney Weaver being in “Star Wars” is a no-brainer. The veteran actress became a household name thanks to her role in the “Alien” franchise and has since been a regular in both fantasy and science fiction movies. With her resume, she should have easily landed a comfortable space in the Star Wars universe during its peak, but she never really had a reason to do so until now.
In an interview with GamesRadar+, the 75-year-old actress confessed that she never thought about joining the storied franchise – but changed her mind when she was offered a role for the upcoming movie “The Mandalorian & Grogu.” But with Disney and Lucasfilm keeping things under wraps, no one really knows what her role is. This has given way to speculation, with many saying that she might be playing a new character called “New Republic Colonel Bishop,” which is quite ironic if you’ve watched the original “Alien” movie.
When asked about her character, Weaver only replied, “I play a wonderful character who is, you know, in a position of authority. And I have to send the Mandalorian out on a mission on the Outer Rim where all the bad stuff happens.” To the question of why she decided join, she said, “I get to have scenes with a little Grogu which is probably why I did the movie. And he’s a little badass too. It’s going to be wonderful for people to see what Grogu is up to now because he’s grown up a little bit and is capable of much more than maybe we think just watching the series.”
The upcoming film will be directed and written by Jon Favreau and will see Pedro Pascal return as the fan-favourite bounty hunter, Din Djarin, who embarks on a brand new adventure with Grogu. The story will pick up right at the end of “The Mandalorian Season 3,” where Din Djarin is now working alongside the New Republic to take down the Imperial resurgence led by Grand Admiral Thrawn. The movie is set for release on 22nd May, 2026, and will be the conclusion to the dynamic duo’s beloved story.
Matthew Lillard Returns To “Scream VII” As Stu Macher
Let’s face it, when has a horror movie antagonist stayed dead? Be it Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers, movie monsters perish more times than we can count, but they are always come back for more. We can give them the benefit of the doubt, as we can classify them as supernatural entities – but how does it work if a mortal comes back from the dead after his face is smashed in by a TV set?
That’s right – Matthew Lillard is back for “Scream 7.” In a cheeky Instagram post, the “Scooby-Doo” actor shared a quick reel of someone’s hand, presumably Lillard’s, writing, “My mom and dad are gonna be soo mad at ME!” There is no caption on the post, and the video is accompanied by a whimsical tune. The news of Stu and Lillard’s return was ultimately confirmed by Deadline.
Those familiar with the original “Scream” would know that Lillard is quoting an iconic line of Stu Macher’s – one of the psychos who donned the Ghostface mask. This revelation is quite weird, as we last saw Stu back in the first film, where he traded stabs with fellow murderer Billy Loomis (played by Skeet Ulrich) before ultimately being crushed and fried by a massive CRT TV.
However, despite the character’s death, Lillard has expressed numerous times in several interviews that he is down to reprising his role; all he needs is a call, and he’s in. Wish granted, we’d say. Scream 7 has been touted to be a return to form and has been massively hyped up due in large part to the franchise’s alumni returning by the dozen. He will be reuniting with fellow alumni such as Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brow. Along for the ride are fresher faces such as McKenna Grace, Isabel May, Celeste O’Connor, Asa Germann, Sam Rechner, Anna Camp, Joel McHale, and Mark Consuelos.
There has been no news or explanation on Stu’s return, let alone how he will act once he reunites with the series’ original final girl, Neve Campbell. We don’t even know how he fits into the overall film, and it is likely that we will not get an answer, as “Scream 7″ is well into production and is already set for a 27th February, 2026 release date. He might reprise the role of Ghostface, as the creators have teased who could be under the mask (which we’ve explored right here). But it is all up in the air for now. Say what you will about the state of horror movies, but we can feel that this sequel is gonna be killer in more ways than one!
Source: Empire, GamesRadar+
