Columbia

'I Know What You Did Last Summer' trailer sets up horror franchise reboot

By Chris Morgan | Last updated Apr 22, 2025 12:37 PM ET

First, a couple fun facts you might not know. "I Know What You Did Last Summer" is an "adaptation" of a YA novel from 1973 by Lois Duncan. The plot of the teen slasher movie from 1997 has basically nothing to do with that book. Sony probably just wanted the name and, to be fair, "I Know What You Did Last Summer" is a great title for a horror movie.

Also, did you know there was a 2006 direct-to-video sequel called "I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer." We assume the 2025 legacy sequel/reboot will ignore that one. Speaking of which, the first trailer for said legacy sequel, simply titled "I Know What You Did Last Summer," is now here:

As always has felt like the case, "I Know What You Did Last Summer" is a franchise that drafts in the wake of the better, more successful "Scream" franchise. The "Scream" reboot also simply went by the original, numberless name, and also ties generations together with members of the older films returning.

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. are the '90s icons returning from the first two films for this one. While they don't have the name cache they once did, certainly their presence has brought more attention to "I Know What You Did Last Summer."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jennifer Love Hewitt (@jenniferlovehewitt)

As for the film itself, the poster is just an image of a viscera-laden fishhook, the fishhook being the closest to iconography this franchise has. Also, the first image in the trailer is a shot through a window of a woman in a bra. One need not be Sherlock Holmes to recognize this is not a movie aiming for "elevated horror," which is probably for the best with this franchise. Then, you know, spooky stuff happens and you see the famous faces from the '90s and there you have it.

This project has actually been stuck in development hell for years, first being broached in 2014. Sony was just too early to "Legacy sequels for everybody!" party. "I Know What You Did Last Summer" comes out on July 18. Finally, for the first time, one of these movies actually comes out in the summer.

Chris Morgan

Chris Morgan is a Detroit-based culture writer who has somehow managed to justify getting his BA in Film Studies. He has written about sports and entertainment across various internet platforms for years and is also the author of three books about '90s television.

More must-reads: