“I Know What You Did Last Summer” was a hit when it was released theatrically in 1997. It wasn’t as popular with audiences and critics as the previous year’s “Scream,” but that was okay; it had managed to cash in on the new wave of teen slasher films that “Scream” had sparked, and that’s all it needed to do to get two sequels. These first two “Last Summer” sequels were less impressive, so very quickly the franchise was put on indefinite hold.
Then, in 2025, the property once again followed in the footsteps of “Scream” by attempting a sequel or legacy requel (reboot/sequel). This new film, which has the exact same title as the 1997 original, features a new generation of young friends caught in almost the same situation as the older generation, with the survivors of the first film even showing up as hardened adults to guide them. Was “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (2025) able to replicate the success of “Scream (2022)”? Not quite: its reviews were worse, as were its box office returns.
But just like its hook-handed killer, the franchise may not be as dead as it seems. 2025’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer” was added to Netflix on October 16, and as of October 21, it is the service’s fourth most popular film in the United States (via FlixPatrol). Audiences may not have bothered to show up and watch the film in theaters, but it seems like the film has enough appeal to attract viewers at home. Will its streaming performance be strong enough to warrant another sequel down the line? We’ll just have to wait and see.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) is pure schlocky fun
I have to admit I’m a bit of a hater when it comes to “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (2025). I watched the film in theaters and saw it as a classic case of a slasher franchise becoming too safe with its characters. The original 1997 film was a fun time precisely because it was willing to get really nasty with it; there’s a death in this movie that haunts me to this day, while nothing in the 2025 sequel holds much weight.
Still, 2025’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer” is a good watch as long as you don’t expect to be actually scared. It’s a fast-paced meta-adventure, filled with twists and turns that don’t really make sense but are fun to watch. I even appreciate it for presenting some truly reckless narrative choices that its sister franchise “Scream” would never dare make. There’s one particular choice involving a returning survivor that “Scream” has never made before and hopefully never will. Was this choice an example of good writing? No. Was this an example of interesting while writing? I would say yes.
Because the returning characters in this franchise aren’t as beloved as the returning characters from “Scream,” and because the property’s reputation is nowhere near as strong, this legacy sequel to “I Know What You Did Last Summer” has a level of creative freedom with its risks that modern “Scream” sequels have been denied. For better or worse, this film changes its storyline significantly, which alone makes it a fascinating watch.
