I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER
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Director: Jim Gillespie
Screenplay: Kevin Williamson and Lois Duncan
(Based on the novel by Lois Duncan)
Gellar's role: Helen Shivers
With: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr.
US Release Date: 17 October 1997
Length: 100 minutes
Genre: Horror .
Helen and the gang are harassed by a mysterious and threatening stalker one year after their car strikes a stranger, and they dump his body in the sea.
Alan Pruski reviewed the film for The Underscene: "Now, I understand that this isn’t the most original or intricate idea, even for a 90s slasher, but its storytelling and cast elevate it to a whole other level. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar lead the film as Julie and Helen; two best friends who are torn apart by their twisted secret. In an era that also gave us Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers from Scream, these two are complete badasses who deserve more credit for carrying this film on their backs from beginning to end. From the start, they lift each other up constantly, are already empowered and kickass before a killer comes after them, and all around just have such a pure and honest friendship that anchors the story while taking it to a more emotional level.
The best scene happens when Helen Shivers and Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) visit Missy Egan (played by the late Anne Heche).
Niki Minter revisited the film recently for JoBlo and talked about the soundtrack: "It’s the 90s and I am compelled to talk soundtracks. This one is no exception. Did we all not leave the theater with Hush by Kula Shaker in our heads? Did anyone even know Kula Shaker? Do you now? Another cover, much like our Type O track. Circling back to our earlier convo, Type O wrote their own lyrics for Summer Breeze because Peter Steele thought you could just do that without permission from the original songwriters. He did ask, but they weren’t too impressed and gave it a big rejection. You can find it as SummerGirl. Very Type O, very Horror. There’s some Offspring here because they were on every soundtrack. Our Lady Peace with Clumsy, classic track. We’ve also got L7, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Soul Asylum, and KORN. Ah yes, Korn. This is in-between Life is Peachy and Follow the Leader. Both stellar in my humble opinion. The track called Proud didn’t make it to the movie, or at least the final cut, but sometimes not all of them do. OH, Ledbelly’s Where Did You Sleep Last Night does play when Julie visits Missy for the second time, but it didn’t land a spot on the soundtrack itself. As far as covers go, as many of you know, Nirvana infamously covered this song on their 1993 Unplugged set."
Slideshow
CAST
- Sarah Michelle Gellar - Helen Shivers
- Jennifer Love Hewitt - Julie James
- Freddie Prinze Jr. - Ray Bronson
- Anne Heche - Melissa 'Missy' Egan
- Patti D'Arbanville - Mrs. Shivers
- Ryan Phillippe - Barry William Cox
- Johnny Galecki - Max Neurick
- Bridgette Wilson - Elsa Shivers
- Muse Watson - Benjamin Willis
- Deborah Hobart - Mrs. James
- Mary McMillan - Mrs. Cox
- Rasool J'Han - Deb
- Dan Albright - Sheriff
- Stuart Greer - Officer David Caporizo
- J. Don Ferguson - Emcee
- Lynda Clark - Pageant Official
- Shea Broom - Contestant #1
- Jennifer Bland - Contestant #2
- William Neely - Hank
- Jonathan Quint- David Franklin Egan
- Richard Dale Miller - Band Member
- Mary Neva Huff - Band Member
- David Lee Hartman - Band Member
- John Bennes - Old Man
- David F. Maxwell - Fisherman at Bait Stand
Trailer
The film won the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film of 1997.
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER can be purchased from Amazon Prime Video, and is available on DVD and Blu-ray.
The 2025 Sequel
Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Starring Madeline Cline as Danica Richards, Chai Sui Wonders as Ava Brucks, and Jonah Hauer-King as Milo Griffin.
Gellar posted on Instagram on 22 July 2025: "What a night!!! Still can’t believe …… years later (no need to date myself) I got to walk the red carpet at another premiere of @ikwydlsmovie Still starring the most handsome man I know @realfreddieprinze but this time directed by my best friend @jennkaytin and written by Jenn and @samlansky I love this movie sooooo much and this cast!!
Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt reprise their original roles. Charley Ross of Glamour Magazine quoted Gellar as saying: "My best friend [Jennifer Kaytin Robinson] is directing it, so we joke that I have an unofficial job, which is I am continuity. So I'm always the one telling her, 'Well, that would happen, or that wouldn't happen with those characters,' so I do have kind of an unofficial job title."
Gellar makes a surprise cameo appearance as part of a dream sequence.
Cast for the 2025 film
- Madelyn Cline - Danica Richards
- Chase Sui Wonders - Ava Brucks
- Jonah Hauer-King - Milo Griffin
- Tyriq Withers - Teddy Spencer
- Sarah Pidgeon - Stevie Ward
- Billy Campbell - Grant Spencer
- Sarah Michelle Gellar - Helen Shivers
- Ryan Phillippe - Barry Cox (archive footage)
- Freddie Prinze Jr - Ray Bronson
- Jennifer Love Hewitt - Julie James
- Brandy Norwood - Karla Wilson
- Gabbriette - Tyler
- Austin Nichols - Pastor Judah
- Nick Farnell - Chief Roberts
- Joshua Orpin - Wyatt
- Georgia Flood - Hannah Decker
- Nick Hardcastle - Neal
- Simone Annan - Jill Spencer
- Ben Toyer - Sam Cooper
- Luke Van Os - Officer Johnson
- Isaiah Mustafa - Andrew
- Nicole Chapman - Karina
- Todd Giebenhain - Jason
- Dalia Rooni - Courtney
- Christie Cate - Yoga Voice
- Michael M. Foster - The Fisherman
- Andrew Goodman - College Student/Graveyard Visitor
- Paul Lacovara - The Fisherman
- Leah McKendrick - Newscaster
- Brian Duffy - Groundskeeper
- Miss Margot - Paramedic
- Alanna Phillips - College Student
- Tamika Rawson - Engagement Party Guest
- Jamie Massicotte - Engagement Party Guest
- Lenny Thomas - Security Guard
- Téa Vela - unnamed teen
The 2025 sequel can be streamed on Netflix.








