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I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) is a legacy sequel—not a straight remake—set in the same Southport mythology as the 1997 film. Five new friends hide a deadly accident, then face a killer who appears to know their secret. Returning characters Ray Bronson and Julie James connect the new story to the original franchise.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) is a legacy sequel—not a straight remake—set in the same Southport mythology as the 1997 film. It follows five new friends who hide a deadly accident, then face a killer who appears to know their secret. The returning characters Ray Bronson and Julie James connect the new story to the original franchise, while the contemporary ensemble carries most of the plot.
The film was released theatrically in the United States on July 18, 2025. In the United States, Netflix lists it as a streaming title, while Sony lists digital rental and purchase options as well as 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray editions. Availability changes by country and licensing window, so check the service or retailer before paying.
Where to watch I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)
United States availability, checked against the supplied listings as of August 12, 2026:
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- Subscription streaming: Netflix lists the film in the United States. The Netflix listing identifies it as an R-rated, 1-hour-51-minute horror movie.
- Digital rental or purchase: Sony lists destinations including Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, DIRECTV, YouTube, Sony Pictures Core, Kaleidescape, and FanFlix. Retailer availability and prices may differ.
- Physical media: Sony lists the film on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. Sony also provides physical-media purchasing paths through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Walmart. A DVD listing is available through the retailer path, but shoppers should confirm that the specific edition is in stock before ordering.
If you want the simplest option, Netflix is the relevant subscription destination in the United States listing. If you want to keep the film, compare the digital price with the physical editions. The I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) Blu-ray is the most straightforward physical-copy choice for viewers who do not have 4K equipment. The 4K Ultra HD edition is the premium option, but it requires compatible hardware: a 4K UHD television with HDR, an Ultra HD Blu-ray player, and high-speed HDMI 2.0a cables, according to Sony’s guidance.
What is I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) about?
The film centers on five friends in Southport, North Carolina: Ava Brucks, Danica Richards, Teddy Spencer, Milo Griffin, and Stevie Ward. After a deadly car accident, they agree to conceal what happened rather than report the truth. One year later, the secret returns to haunt them when a killer begins targeting the group.
The setup intentionally echoes the 1997 film: a group of young people is bound together by a death, and an apparently impossible avenger turns their cover-up into a revenge campaign. The new story also points back to what it calls the “Southport Massacre of 1997,” making the earlier film part of the characters’ history rather than treating the 2025 installment as an unrelated reboot.
Plot setup without major spoilers
Danica and Teddy’s engagement party brings the five friends together. Later, while driving to Reaper’s Curve, they encounter an oncoming car. The vehicle swerves, goes over a cliff, and plunges into the ocean. The friends decide to keep the death secret.
A year passes. During another engagement celebration, a murder makes it clear that the accident has not stayed buried. The group must determine who knows the truth, why they are being hunted, and whether anyone connected to the 1997 Southport killings can help them survive.
That premise makes the film accessible to newcomers: the central mystery begins with a new group and a new cover-up. However, viewers familiar with the 1997 and 1998 films will recognize more of the connective tissue, especially through the returning performers and the Southport setting.
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Cast and characters
The new ensemble
- Chase Sui Wonders as Ava Brucks
- Madelyn Cline as Danica Richards
- Tyriq Withers as Teddy Spencer
- Jonah Hauer-King as Milo Griffin
- Sarah Pidgeon as Stevie Ward
These five characters are the film’s primary group, replacing the original movie’s teenagers as the immediate focus of the story. Their relationships, the engagement celebrations, and the decision to hide the accident create the new installment’s emotional and mystery framework.
The returning franchise cast
- Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray Bronson
- Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie James
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Helen Shivers
The returning performers are more than a nostalgic cameo mechanism: their presence confirms that the 2025 film is connected to the earlier Southport story. The new characters remain central, but the legacy cast supplies the continuity that separates this film from a simple remake.
Is the 2025 movie a remake or a sequel?
It is best described as a legacy sequel, sometimes called a requel. Netflix’s official editorial material describes it as the franchise’s fourth installment and as something halfway between a sequel and a reboot.
It is not a scene-for-scene remake of the 1997 film. Instead, it introduces a new five-person cast, a new accident, and a new revenge mystery while retaining the Southport setting, the franchise’s central guilt-and-secrecy premise, and characters from the earlier films. Sony’s synopsis directly invokes the 1997 Southport Massacre, so the connection is part of the film’s premise rather than an incidental reference.
How it connects to the 1997 original
The original I Know What You Did Last Summer follows four teenagers who dump a victim’s body into the sea after an accident and later face revenge from the supposedly dead man. The 2025 film revisits that basic structure—an accidental death, a cover-up, and a killer who turns the secret into a weapon—but gives it to a different group in the same fictional community.
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For first-time viewers, the 2025 film is designed to provide enough new setup to stand on its own. For franchise viewers, watching the 1997 film first adds context to the Southport references and the returning characters. Sony lists the 1997 film on Digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD, making a double feature possible. Be careful when shopping: the 1997 and 2025 films have nearly identical titles, so confirm the release year and format.
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The original film is also tied to Lois Duncan’s novel, but the 2025 screenplay should not be treated as a direct adaptation of that book. The novel is better approached as background reading for the franchise’s literary origin, not as a precise source for the new film’s plot.
Who directed and wrote the film?
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson directed and co-wrote I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025). The credited writers listed by Rotten Tomatoes are Sam Lansky, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Leah McKendrick, and Lois Duncan. Neal H. Moritz produced the film.
The production companies are Screen Gems, Columbia Pictures, and Original Film. Columbia Pictures distributed the movie.
Rating, genre, and runtime
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| MPAA rating | R for brief drug use, bloody horror violence, language throughout, and some sexual content |
| Genres | Horror, mystery, thriller |
| Runtime | 1 hour, 51 minutes |
| U.S. theatrical release | July 18, 2025 |
Reception: critics and audiences disagreed
Rotten Tomatoes’ research snapshot dated August 12, 2026 lists a 36% Tomatometer score from 213 reviews and a 67% Popcornmeter score from more than 1,000 verified ratings. These figures are not permanent; review totals and aggregate scores can change.
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- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, and it even powers from your TV alone, plugging into the back and staying out of sight. No wall outlet, no extra cords, no clutter.
- No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote. Use your voice to quickly search, play entertainment, and more.
- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
The site’s critics consensus argues that the film leans heavily on nostalgia without developing a compelling enough hook of its own. Its audience summary is more receptive to the movie’s campy slasher energy and lively cast. The useful takeaway is not that the film was universally rejected or universally embraced: professional critics were considerably cooler than verified audiences, while both groups recognized its deliberate relationship with the original franchise.
Box office
Box Office Mojo lists a $12,755,359 domestic opening, $32,165,634 in domestic gross, $32,642,486 internationally, and $64,808,120 worldwide for the theatrical run.
Those numbers are theatrical grosses only. They should not be confused with profit, net revenue, or a definitive measure of financial success because the available figures do not establish the film’s production budget, marketing costs, or later home-entertainment revenue.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Spoilers: what the setup reveals
Stop here if you want to remain spoiler-light. The following section includes additional setup details from Netflix’s official plot guide.
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The identities of the victims, the killer-related revelations, and any post-credits developments are not included here. Those details are best handled in a separate full-spoiler explainer rather than in a general viewing guide.
Should you watch the 1997 film first?
No, it is not essential—but it is recommended for franchise context. The 2025 film supplies a new group and a new mystery, so newcomers can follow the basic premise without first completing the older series. Watching the 1997 film beforehand will make the Southport mythology, legacy characters, and references to the earlier massacre more meaningful.
A practical viewing order is:
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), to establish the original Southport story.
- I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), if you want the immediate continuation of that era.
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025), for the new generation and the legacy-sequel connection.
If your priority is only the 2025 mystery, start with the new film and return to the original afterward. If you are collecting the franchise, Sony lists the 1997 film on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD as well as Digital; keep the year visible when comparing editions.
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- Choose Netflix if you already have the required United States subscription and want the quickest viewing route; listing status can change.
- Choose digital rental if you want a one-time viewing without buying a disc.
- Choose Blu-ray if you want a permanent physical copy and standard Blu-ray playback.
- Choose 4K Ultra HD only if your television, HDR setup, player, and HDMI connection support the format.
- Choose DVD for standard-definition compatibility, but verify the exact edition and current stock because the studio’s main availability presentation emphasizes Digital, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD.
Bottom line
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) is a Southport-set legacy sequel that uses a new accident and a new group of friends to revisit the franchise’s familiar secret-and-revenge formula. It is accessible to newcomers, more rewarding for viewers who know the 1997 film, and divisive in reception: critics were skeptical of its reliance on nostalgia, while audiences responded more positively to its campy slasher tone and cast. In the United States, the film is listed on Netflix, through digital retailers, and on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD, with availability subject to change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to watch the original I Know What You Did Last Summer first?
No. The 2025 film introduces a new group, a new accident, and a new mystery, so newcomers can follow its main story. Watching the 1997 film first adds context for Southport, the 1997 massacre, and the returning characters.
Where can I watch I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)?
In United States listings checked on August 12, 2026, Netflix lists the film for subscription streaming. Sony also lists digital rental and purchase destinations, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, DIRECTV, YouTube, Sony Pictures Core, Kaleidescape, and FanFlix. Availability may vary by country and date.
What is the rating and runtime of the 2025 movie?
It is rated R for brief drug use, bloody horror violence, language throughout, and some sexual content. Its runtime is 1 hour and 51 minutes.
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Is I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) a remake or a sequel?
The film is best described as a legacy sequel or requel. It is the fourth installment, introduces five new central characters, and connects them to the 1997 Southport story through returning characters and franchise mythology.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) is a legacy sequel rather than a remake. You can watch it without seeing the 1997 original, but the older film adds useful context to Southport and the returning characters. U.S. listings checked on August 12, 2026 include Netflix, digital rental and purchase, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD.
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