The upcoming installment of I Know What You Did Last Summer brings back Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., with questions still surrounding the possible return of Brandy Norwood.
Norwood played Karla Wilson in the 1998 sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, portraying a close friend of Julie James, played by Hewitt. Karla was among the characters who survived the events of that film.
Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson responded to questions about Norwood’s potential appearance by saying, “You’ll have to go see the movie.” Norwood, while promoting her film The Front Room, acknowledged she had been contacted but did not confirm her involvement. “I heard some things about it,” she said. “So, hopefully.” When asked how Karla might return, Norwood added, “I don’t know how she would come back. I haven’t thought about that yet but I know that she should come back. She should definitely come back.”
Set for theatrical release on July 18, the new sequel continues the story rather than restarting it. Returning cast members Hewitt and Prinze join new additions including Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers, and Jonah Hauer-King. Other cast members include Billy Campbell, Gabbriette Bechtel, Austin Nichols, Lola Tung, and Nicholas Alexander Chavez.
The film’s premise involves five friends who become involved in a fatal car accident and agree to remain silent about it. One year later, an unknown figure begins targeting them. As details emerge, they seek out two individuals with firsthand experience of a similar event in 1997.
Wonders described the atmosphere during production as positive, saying the cast spent time together outside of filming. She noted the cast’s interactions included game nights, concerts, and group outings during the Australia shoot. “Everyone in this cast just brought it,” she said.
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Hewitt reflected on her return to the role of Julie James, which she first played at 18. “I had total anxiety for 48 hours before [filming],” she said. “Can I do this? Am I going to pull this off?” She described stepping back into the character as emotional, though the transition felt familiar once filming began. She also spoke about working again with Prinze, who plays Ray Bronson. “We just had to jump right back into Julie and Ray, but when we did it felt like we had never left,” she said.
Robinson, who also directed Do Revenge, said the sequel’s approach was shaped by her own experience with the earlier films. While the tone of the original leaned more on suspense, Robinson said the new film introduces changes in style and pacing. “There’s definitely more methodology to every kill in this movie,” she said. “There certainly is [more gore and blood].”
Hewitt spoke about her return to the franchise after nearly three decades. “As a female in Hollywood, in your 40s sometimes you can feel forgotten about,” she said. “I was really touched emotionally and honored that Sony would have me back, that the franchise would have me back, that Jen wanted me back and that the audience wanted me back.”
Wonders said her early impressions of stepping into the series left her unsure about matching the presence of Hewitt’s original performance. She credited Hewitt with offering support throughout filming, saying she shared stories and advice on navigating the industry. Wonders described their dynamic on set as welcoming.
Robinson mentioned the production team approached the project with an understanding of the original films and audience expectations. She declined to offer details on how returning characters are introduced or what viewers can expect in terms of familiar elements, but noted that decisions were made with long-time fans in mind.
