"I Know What You Did Last Summer” Returns: The Slasher Classic Strikes Again

The iconic fisherman with the hook is returning to the big screen. Sony Pictures has officially announced a new installment of I Know What You Did Last Summer, set to hit theaters July 18, 2025. This isn’t a reboot or remake. It’s a continuation of the original story, and two of its most beloved stars—Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr.—are coming back.

Revisiting the Original Horror Hit

When I Know What You Did Last Summer was released in 1997, it quickly became a defining slasher of its era. Loosely based on the 1973 novel by Lois Duncan, the film followed four friends who accidentally hit a man with their car, dump the body, and vow never to speak of it again. A year later, they begin receiving threatening messages.

The cast, Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie, Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Helen, and Ryan Phillippe as Barry—turned the film into a pop culture moment. Its blend of teen drama, coastal paranoia, and brutal kills solidified its place in the post-Scream horror boom.

It sounds like you're tracing the I Still Know What You Did Last Summer trilogy:

1. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) — This sequel brings back Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), adds Brandy (Rachel Leigh Cook) and Ray (Mekhi Phifer), and they’re hauntingly tormented by the mysterious Fisherman killer amid the summer beach town.

2. I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006) — A stand-alone third entry, with a fresh cast and premise, but it didn’t connect as strongly and quietly closed the franchise.

And as you hinted: a new revival is currently in the works!

What would you like to dive into next?

• Info about the new revival (cast, plot, release date)?

• A deeper breakdown of the 1998 sequel’s new characters and storyline?

• A comparison between the film approaches across the trilogy?

What We Know About the 2025 Film

The upcoming film will be directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, known for her work on Do Revenge and Someone Great. She described the project as a “love letter to fans” that respects the original while opening a new chapter.

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. will reprise their roles as Julie and Ray. Now adults carrying the weight of their past, their return is expected to connect the new story to the original events. According to early production notes, a new group of young characters will find themselves entangled in a similar nightmare, and the trauma of that first summer will play a major role in the plot.

Plot details are being kept secret, but insiders say the film will explore the consequences of buried secrets, generational guilt, and the emotional fallout of surviving horror.

What Fans Are Saying

So far, reactions are mixed but charged with anticipation.

Longtime fans are thrilled to see Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. back in the franchise. Their return adds authenticity and emotional weight. Many hope the film will finally give Julie and Ray closure, or at least a compelling reason to return.

Some fans, however, are cautious. Horror audiences have seen a flood of reboots and legacy sequels in recent years, and not all have delivered. There's skepticism about whether the new cast will hold up or if the story will fall into clichés.

Still, the majority seem excited. Social media lit up with praise the moment the casting news dropped. Fans of the original are hopeful this film will recapture what made the 1997 version so thrilling and unforgettable.

Final Thoughts

With a summer 2025 release on the horizon and the return of two original stars, I Know What You Did Last Summer is ready to take another swing at horror greatness. It’s more than just a comeback, it’s a chance to re-explore the weight of guilt, the cost of silence, and what it means to be haunted by the past.

And this time, the secret might not stay buried.