I Know What You Did Last Summer Reboot Shows First Look at Returning Stars

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The horror film “I Know What You Did Last Summer” returns with its original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., who are stepping back into their roles after almost three decades. The long-awaited sequel is set to hit theaters on July 18th, but in the meantime, we’ve been given a sneak peek with images released by PEOPLE on Tuesday. Hewitt and Prinze seamlessly slide back into their characters, Julie James and Ray Bronson, alongside new cast members Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Jonah Hauer-King, and Tyriq Withers. In a related interview, Hewitt spoke highly of the young cast, feeling honored to pass the torch to them personally and eager to revisit the story that kick-started her career.

48 hours prior to filming, Hewitt admitted feeling intense apprehension, questioning if she could handle it and if she would succeed. She found it nerve-wracking at 46 years old to revisit a role she initially took on at 18, but the talented younger cast members made the transition smoother for her. She described them as “phenomenal.

She put it simply: “They can take ownership and I’ll be there, beaming with pride, saying something like ‘It’s all yours now, go ahead and make the most of it!'” She added about meeting Prinze again: “It was like a high school reunion. The moment was intense, like ‘Oh my goodness, I have butterflies in my stomach and my heart is racing because it’s been 150 years since we last met, but here we are now.’ We slipped back into our roles as Julie and Ray, and it felt like no time had passed at all, truly.

The film “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” originally based on a 1973 novel by Lois Duncan, was a success and led to a sequel the next year with Hewitt and Prinze reprising their roles. A direct-to-video sequel featuring new characters came out in 2006. This year’s release is considered a follow-up to “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer,” ignoring the third movie. The film is jointly penned and directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.

In straightforward language, Robinson shared with PEOPLE that the movie isn’t a heavy-duty production; instead, it’s an entertaining summer spectacle perfect for popcorn. She further explained that while it offers a lot of thrilling fun, the horror aspects have been intensified significantly in this version, making it more intense and brutal compared to the original. The kills in this movie are planned meticulously, unlike the first one which had a more casual approach with the villain stalking and attacking his victims. There’s less emphasis on gore or violence in the first installment, but there’s plenty of it in this sequel.

Hewitt conceded that the upcoming movie is “frightening,” but clarified she’s not usually drawn to horror films. Since this series has always blended terror with humor, it’s understandable that fond memories might elevate expectations. The remake of I Know What You Did Last Summer will be in theaters on July 18th, while you can stream the original version on Netflix right now.

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2025-04-09 19:09