Skeet Ulrich had bad news for anyone hoping Billy Loomis would rise again: That head wound was tough to explain away. Thirty years after Scream made Billy a horror icon, Ulrich saw little reason to bring him back.
There was another surprise in his latest conversation. Ulrich had watched the original Scream only three times, with his newest viewing happening alongside Matthew Lillard and plenty of laughter.
Skeet Ulrich explains why Billy Loomis is unlikely to return to Scream
As per Us Weekly, Ulrich, 56, spoke at Angry Orchard’s Scream-themed Video pop-up, created for the brand’s limited-edition Thriller Variety Pack. The actor revealed that his latest viewing with Lillard marked only his third time watching the 1996 movie. “It held up. We were laughing at ourselves,” Ulrich said. He admitted it had been “a long time” since he had watched the film.
Ulrich played Sidney Prescott’s boyfriend before the movie revealed Billy as one of Ghostface’s two killers, with Lillard playing his accomplice, Stu Macher. Lillard later returned through a deepfake in Scream 7 and remained convinced Stu could have survived. Ulrich backed his longtime friend without hesitation. “I do [support his theory]. One-hundred percent,” he said.
Billy’s survival theory, however, received considerably less enthusiasm. “I don’t think a gunshot wound to the head [is survivable],” Ulrich said. He also explained why he would not return without Sam Carpenter. “Without Melissa Barrera and Sam Loomis, there’s no Billy Loomis,” he said. Barrera’s 2023 firing changed the planned story, and Ulrich said the three-film arc they discussed never reached its intended conclusion.
He still celebrated Lillard’s return. “I called him right away,” Ulrich recalled, adding that he was excited for his friend. Their friendship had grown long after Scream wrapped. They reconnected through conventions, dinners, and fatherhood, eventually becoming close friends after years apart.
Ulrich also enjoyed the event’s Blockbuster-inspired setup. He remembered searching West Hollywood shelves for movies and even checking return boxes when a title had disappeared. As for the Scream-themed drinks, Ulrich picked Mystery Caller. “As I should, right?” he joked. Three decades later, fans still wanted Billy back, but Ulrich appeared comfortable leaving the character in the past.
