An intriguing glimpse into Columbia Pictures' eagerly anticipated sequel to the 1997 slasher hit "I Know What You Did Last Summer" has been unveiled. On Monday, during the grandeur of CinemaCon at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Sony mesmerized the packed audience with the premiere footage of Jennifer Kaytin Robinson's horror masterpiece, eliciting thunderous applause.
When the original stars, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., made their iconic entrance on the silver screen, the hall erupted in spontaneous clapping. Scheduled for a theatrical release on July 18, this sequel picks up where the first left off, delving into the aftermath of a fatal car accident inadvertently caused by five friends. Desperate to evade the repercussions, they struck a deal to keep their involvement a closely guarded secret.
However, a year later, their dark secret resurfaces to haunt them, forcing them to confront a terrifying reality: someone knows exactly what they did last summer – and is bent on seeking vengeance. As the killer stalks them one by one, they stumble upon a chilling discovery – a similar scenario had unfolded before. Desperate for help, they turn to Hewitt and Prinze Jr., reprising their roles as Julie James and her beau Ray Bronson, the sole survivors of the infamous Southport Massacre of 1997.
Joining these veterans are a stellar cast comprising Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, Billy Campbell, Gabbriette Bechtel, Austin Nichols, Lola Tung, and Nicholas Alexander Chavez. The footage commences with Cline's character engrossed in introspective solitude, immersed in a bathtub, while downstairs, her boyfriend meets a brutal demise at the hands of the enigmatic killer wielding his iconic hook. She subsequently poses a chilling query: "Do you think this is karma for what we've done... or did someone witness something?" As the body count escalates, in a subsequent scene, Bronson materializes at the town's municipal hall, revealing a stunning truth: "This is not the first time such violence has plagued Southport." When Hewitt's character delivers that powerful line, an audience member seated near our Hollywood Reporter correspondent cannot help but applaud: "I have but one question—what did you do last summer?" Robinson has directed this film, co-written by Leah McKendrick, Robinson himself, and journalist-author Sam Lansky. The credit for the story's conception goes to Robinson and McKendrick. Neal H. Moritz serves as the producer, with Robinson, Jackie Shenoo, and Karina Rahardja comprising the executive producing team. CinemaCon—the annual gathering of theater owners and Hollywood studios, hosted by the newly renamed Cinema United in Las Vegas (formerly known for decades as the National Association of Theatre Owners)—took place from March 31st to April 3rd this year.
