Summary
- The new “I Know What You Did Last Summer” sequel aims for a more grounded tone and promises a mix of old and new.
- Original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. are in talks to return, but other cast members’ involvement is uncertain.
- The legacy sequel is slated to premiere on July 18, 2025.
The legendary late-’90s slasher series I Know What You Did Last Summer is returning for a legacy sequel, and it has already scared up exciting news and updates. Based on the eponymous novel by Lois Duncan, the 1997 slasher follows a group of young adults who are hunted by a hook-wielding killer out for revenge a year after they covered up an accidental murder. With its mix of classic slasher tropes and just a tinge of classic American folklore, I Know What You Did Last Summer had all the makings of a bona fide franchise.
Though critics were notoriously low on the film, it nevertheless proved to be a moneymaker, and earned profits that far exceeded its budget (via Box Office Mojo). That naturally led to a string of sequels across the 2000s which were of a generally declining quality. A short-lived TV series attempted to keep the ’90s time capsule alive, but it seemed that I Know What You Did Last Summer didn’t have the staying power. However, the classic ’90s hidden gem has become something of a cult favorite, and a fourth movie is aiming to cash in on the legacy sequel trend of the 2020s.
Related
I Know What You Did Last Summer Already Set Up A Legacy Sequel
I Know What You Did Last Summer actually set up a legacy sequel over 20 years ago, with a tease at the end of both the original and sequel films.
I Know What You Did Last Summer Sequel Latest News
New Cast Members Are Added
Though nothing is known about the young stars’ roles, it’s clear that the new movie is focusing on a new generation of characters, even if the original stars are part of the story.
With a release date on the schedule, the latest news confirms several new cast members have joined the I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel. Along with returning cast members Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. who are currently in talks to return, Camila Mendes, Madelyn Cline, Jonah Hauer-King,Sarah Pidgeon, and Tyriq Withers have all been cast. Though nothing is known about the young stars’ roles, it’s clear that the new movie is focusing on a new generation of characters, even if the original stars are part of the story.
The new additions include:
- Camila Mendes (Riverdale)
- Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks)
- Jonah Hauer-King (The Little Mermaid)
- Sarah Pidgeon (The Wilds)
- Tyriq Withers (Atlanta)
I Know What You Did Last Summer Sequel Release Date
The Slasher Series Returns In Summer 2025
With the film having the potential to be a bona fide blockbuster, it only makes sense to schedule the film during Hollywood’s most profitable period of the year.
Even with many important details about the legacy sequel still uncertain, a release date for the new I Know What You Did Last Summer movie has been revealed. Perhaps in an attempt to take on major sequels like Scream 7, the I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel is currently scheduled to premiere on July 18, 2025. With the film having the potential to be a bona fide blockbuster, it only makes sense to schedule the film during Hollywood’s most profitable period of the year.
I Know What You Did Last Summer Sequel Cast
Will Any Original Stars Return?
Perhaps the most exciting part of the announcement of the I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel was that original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. were in talks to reprise their roles as Julie and Ray. However, little has been made about the cast thus far, and even the initial announcement is shrouded in doubt. Hewitt has since confirmed she would love to return, but that seems to indicate she hasn’t been approached. Likewise, Freddie Prinze Jr. cast doubt on his I Know What You Did Last Summer return when saying he hadn’t been asked.
Original star Sarah Michelle Gellar has also denied involvement in the new movie.
Aside from returning stars, the cast of the I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel is already growing with the addition of several new stars. Though nothing is known about their roles yet, Camila Mendes, Madelyn Cline, Jonah Hauer-King,Sarah Pidgeon, and Tyriq Withers have all been cast. Since all the newcomers are younger actors, it stands to reason that they will play the new protagonists being terrorized by the Fisherman.
The known cast of I Know What You Did Last Summer includes:
Actor | I Know What You Did Last Summer Role | |
---|---|---|
Camila Mendes | Unknown | |
Madelyn Cline | Unknown | |
Jonah Hauer-King | Unknown | |
Sarah Pidgeon | Unknown | |
Tyriq Withers | Unknown |
I Know What You Did Last Summer Sequel Story
The Fisherman’s Return
Almost nothing is known about what will happen in the new film, but the I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel could turn to the novel for inspiration. Despite drawing its title from Lois Duncan’s book, the plot was quite different outside the framework of a group of young adults being stalked after their notorious cover-up. In the movie, their victim is a fisherman, while in the book it is a young boy.
The I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise includes:
Movie/Show | Release Year | Note |
---|---|---|
I Know What You Did Last Summer | 1997 | |
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer | 1998 | Set one year after the events of the first film |
I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer | 2008 | Set eight years after the events of the first film |
I Know What You Did Last Summer | 2021 | A TV reboot based on the novel |
Since the original series strayed so far from the book’s plot, the legacy sequel could turn to Duncan once again for inspiration, and adapt it in a more straightforward manner. This would satisfy the desire to make it a legacy sequel instead of a reboot, and it would deliver the more down-to-earth and grounded tone that director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is going for in the I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel.