Legacy Sequel Lures $24 M Worldwide for “I Know What You Did Last Summer”
Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson’s sequel reteams the ’90s leads, courts controversy with a divisive killer reveal and posts a solid—if not breakout—opening weekend.
Sony’s slasher franchise returned to theatres Friday with director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson’s legacy sequel “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” reuniting original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. and scaring up an estimated $12.8 million domestic debut en route to $24.6 million worldwide.
A fresh ensemble led by Chase Sui Wonders and Madelyn Cline anchors the new mystery, which Robinson says borrowed David Fincher’s “Se7en” as a tonal touchstone for its more elaborate kills. Robinson, who co‑wrote the screenplay with journalist‑novelist Sam Lansky from a story by Leah McKendrick, positions the picture as a direct continuation of the 1997 original—marking the series’ fourth cinematic outing and its first on the big screen in 19 years.
The production’s reported $18 million budget kept costs lean while staging a cliff‑side hit‑and‑run that replaces the franchise’s trademark beachside accident. Critical attention has centred on a mid‑film twist that unmasks Prinze’s Ray Bronson as a copy‑cat Fisherman.
Robinson admits some viewers “might not like it,” but calls the gamble essential; Prinze labels the performance “the best work we’ve done,” a sentiment Hewitt echoes. Box‑office trackers place the film third for the weekend behind “Superman” and “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” with 3,206 screens delivering roughly the same opening pull as its 1997 predecessor.
The start trails the $30 million launches of recent “Scream” reboots, yet analysts note the $24.6 million global haul against an $18 million spend sets the stage for profitability once international roll‑outs and ancillary revenues land.
Producer Neal H. Moritz, who shepherded the original, says the revival had to “earn its existence by blending past and present” and adds that future chapters hinge on audience response over the coming weeks.
