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

While 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel might have been hated by critics, the slasher follow-up was surprisingly clever, funny, and original. The I Know What You Did Last Summer movies have always struggled to emerge from the long shadow cast by their obvious inspiration, the Scream series.

Although 1997’s original I Know What You Did Last Summer is technically based on the 1973 novel of the same name by author Lois Duncan, screenwriter Kevin Williamson’s script moved far past that YA mystery when crafting the slasher’s story. Fresh off the success of Scream, Williamson applied that franchise's familiar formula to the loose adaptation.

There was a faceless killer, a list of suspects, a small town with a dark secret, and a group of pop culture-savvy teens trying to work out who was stalking them. While the later I Know What You Did Last Summer movies switched up this formula a little, this wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

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

1998’s first sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, was derided by critics, but it was 2006’s supernatural reboot that went straight to DVD and killed the series for almost two decades. I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer earned the worst reviews of the franchise, save for 2022’s risible TV reboot.

As such, hopes were hardly high when 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel was first announced. A promising cast, including Bodies Bodies Bodies star Chase Sui Wonders and Madelyn Cline, helped somewhat, as did the decision to hire Do Revenge director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. However, the film earned a mere 36% from critics upon release.

The reasoning behind these bad reviews is a little tricky to discern, although it seems that some reviewers had already made up their minds before seeing the sequel. Admittedly, the long-awaited sequel is campier and sillier than the original movie, with some of the knowing self-aware humor of recent slashers like Heart Eyes or the aforementioned Bodies Bodies Bodies.

However, this is no bad thing, since the original movie is duller than many viewers might recall upon a rewatch. The kills in 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer are grislier and more inventive than its 1997 predecessor, and it’s genuinely tough to predict who will live and who will die in the sequel.

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

This may explain why the sequel managed to reach HBO Max’s top 10 movie list and stay there for a week in January 2026. Recently, HBO Max has become horror’s home among the streaming services thanks to its mix of major blockbusters like Sinners and modest indie gems like The Beldham.

The success of 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer on the streaming service goes to show just how popular the movie was with audiences despite the misgivings of critics. The same elements that put off reviewers, like the over-the-top characterization, broad humor, and lack of likable characters, seem to be what won over viewers on streaming.

It is worth noting that this was also enough to impress viewers when the movie arrived in cinemas, as 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer made $65 million in theaters on a budget of only $18 million. The open-ended nature of the movie’s ending, including 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer’s mid-credits stinger, means that a sequel may well happen despite its largely negative reviews.

This would be great news since, as surprising as it might sound, the franchise is in the best position that it has been in years after 2025’s sequel. While 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer may not have been liked by critics, the original movie only fared a little better with a critical score of 47% and an audience score of 41%

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

In a telling bit of contrast, 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer currently has the franchise’s highest audience score with a comparatively formidable 67%. In an era when Scream 7 is happening despite the many massive issues with its production process, it should not come as a surprise if this belated slasher sequel receives a follow-up.

This would be great news since, while 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer is definitely the second-best movie in its franchise, there’s an argument to be made that the sequel might be the best in the series. The 2025 release is arguably better than the original, which has a woeful killer reveal and few memorable murders.

The best thing about 1997’s original is Sarah Michelle Gellar’s memorable turn as Helen Shivers, but even she returns in 2025’s sequel in a cameo more memorable than the larger roles of original stars Freddie Prinze Jr and Jennifer Love Hewitt. Thus, 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer isn’t just better than its reputation, but better than its predecessor, too.