2025’s Divisive Sequel To A Classic Horror Never Deserved Its 36% Rotten Tomatoes Rating

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Okay, so everyone slammed the 2025 I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel, but honestly, I thought it was a lot better than people give it credit for. It was surprisingly witty, genuinely funny, and brought something fresh to the slasher genre. It’s always been tough for the I Know What You Did Last Summer films, though – they’ve always been compared to Scream, and it’s hard to stand out when you’re following in the footsteps of such a classic.

The 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer started with a novel of the same name by Lois Duncan, but the movie’s story quickly diverged from the book. Screenwriter Kevin Williamson, who had recently found success with Scream, used a similar approach to create this slasher film, loosely basing it on the original story.

A mysterious killer was targeting a group of teenagers in a small town hiding a secret. They tried to figure out who was after them, and the story followed a familiar pattern – a killer, suspects, and a town with something to hide. Later sequels to I Know What You Did Last Summer changed this formula, but not for the better.

2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer Is Surprisingly Fun

The first sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), received negative reviews, but it was the 2006 supernatural remake that really ended the series for nearly twenty years. That remake, I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer, was the worst-reviewed installment until the widely criticized 2022 TV series.

When a sequel to I Know What You Did Last Summer was announced for 2025, expectations weren’t very high. The cast, featuring Chase Sui Wonders of Bodies Bodies Bodies and Madelyn Cline, offered some encouragement, as did the choice of Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, the director of Do Revenge. Despite this, the film received only a 36% approval rating from critics after its release.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why the reviews are so negative, but it appears some reviewers disliked the sequel before even watching it. It’s true that this long-awaited follow-up is more over-the-top and humorous than the first film, leaning into the self-aware, comedic style seen in recent horror movies like Heart Eyes and Bodies Bodies Bodies.

Actually, this is a good thing, because the original movie doesn’t hold up as well as people remember. The kills in the 2025 version of I Know What You Did Last Summer are more graphic and creative than in the 1997 film, and it’s truly hard to guess who will survive.

I Know What You Did Last Summer’s Reboot Improves On The Original Movie

This likely contributed to the sequel’s success, landing it in the top 10 movies on HBO Max for a week in January 2026. HBO Max has quickly become a go-to streaming service for horror fans, offering both big-budget hits like Sinners and smaller, critically acclaimed independent films such as The Beldham.

Despite negative reviews, the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer proved incredibly popular with audiences, as evidenced by its strong performance on the streaming service. It seems viewers actually enjoyed the very things critics disliked – like exaggerated characters, silly humor, and a cast that wasn’t necessarily meant to be ‘liked’.

When I Know What You Did Last Summer came out in theaters in 2025, it was a financial success, earning $65 million despite only costing $18 million to make. Even though critics didn’t love the movie, its ambiguous ending – including a post-credits scene – suggests a sequel is possible.

This is welcome news because, surprisingly, the franchise is stronger now than it’s been in years, thanks to the 2025 sequel. Although critics weren’t thrilled with the 2025 film I Know What You Did Last Summer, the original movie didn’t receive much better reviews – it scored 47% with critics and 41% with audiences.

The I Know What You Did Last Summer Franchise Has Never Been Consistent

As a big fan of these kinds of movies, it’s interesting to me that the 2025 I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot actually has the best audience score of the whole franchise right now – a solid 67%! Considering all the trouble Scream 7 has been having getting made, it doesn’t shock me that they might decide to keep this series going with another sequel. It feels like a safer bet, honestly.

That would be fantastic news! While the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer is a strong second entry in the series, the sequel could actually be the best one. Many would argue the 1997 release is even better than the first movie, which suffers from a disappointing reveal of the killer and lacks truly memorable murders.

While the 1997 film is fondly remembered for Sarah Michelle Gellar’s performance as Helen Shivers, her brief appearance in the 2025 sequel actually stands out more than the bigger roles played by Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt. This means the new I Know What You Did Last Summer isn’t just better than people expect – it’s a better movie overall than the original.

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2026-02-07 17:31