Horror has been sizzling these days, and Hollywood loves a reboot. That being the case, Sony’s “I Know What You Did Final Summer time” looks as if exactly the form of movie that one would discover within the midst of the summer season film season. Serving as a legacy sequel to the 1997 field workplace hit of the identical identify, the hope is that this slasher can comply with within the footsteps of horror flicks like “28 Years Later” and “Last Vacation spot Bloodlines,” turning once-popular franchises into fashionable hits. So, how are issues shaping up?
The brand new “I Know What You Did Final Summer time” is at the moment monitoring to drag in between $16 and $25 million on its opening weekend domestically, per Field Workplace Principle. It is a surprisingly crowded weekend, with Ari Aster’s “Eddington” and Paramount’s new “Smurfs” film additionally opening. To not point out, it is going to be the second weekend for James Gunn’s “Superman,” which figures to be a giant draw on the field workplace. On prime of all that, Marvel Studios’ “The Improbable 4: First Steps” arrives the next weekend. Oh, and it’ll even be the third weekend for “Jurassic World Rebirth,” which is doing very nicely for itself.
On the plus aspect, “I Know What You Did Final Summer time” goes for a barely completely different viewers. In additional excellent news, “Last Vacation spot Bloodlines” is winding down its spectacular run, having made $285 million worldwide up to now. Equally, “28 Years Later” will likely be cooling down after amassing $127 million up to now. So, horror-seeking audiences who’ve already loved what cinemas at the moment have to supply could have a brand new possibility.
Very similar to the unique movie, “I Know What You Did Final Summer time” facilities on 5 mates who by chance trigger a lethal automotive wreck, which they cowl up and make a pact to maintain it secret. A 12 months later, nonetheless, they uncover that somebody is aware of what they did the earlier summer season. Homicide ensues. This time, although, the principle characters discover out this has occurred earlier than and switch to 2 survivors of the legendary Southport Bloodbath of 1997 for assist. The brand new forged is led by Madelyn Cline (“Outer Banks”), Chase Sui Wonders (“The Studio”), and Tyriq Withers (“Atlanta”), with Freddy Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt reprising their roles from the primary film.
Will I Know What You Did Final Summer time turn out to be the following Scream (once more)?
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (“Do Revenge”) is within the director’s chair for this one. The unique “I Know What You Did Final Summer time” was an enormous hit in 1997, taking in $125 million worldwide towards a $17 million finances. Written by Kevin Williamson after “Scream” grew to become a large hit in ’96, it helped usher in a brand new period for the slasher after a lifeless interval within the early ’90s. Curiously sufficient, this film is as soon as once more attempting to take a web page of the “Scream” playbook, with Paramount having revived that franchise very efficiently in recent times.
Whereas the finances has but to be revealed, Sony tends to be fairly thrifty. It might be a shock if the studio spent greater than $40 million on this factor. We must also keep in mind that abroad grosses are going to be a significant issue right here. So, if the movie can usher in nearer to $20 million on opening weekend, it has an excellent likelihood at changing into an honest hit.
Working towards the reboot is the truth that Amazon Prime Video’s “I Know What You Did Final Summer time” TV present lasted only one season. It was canceled by the streamer in early 2022. Did that counsel a scarcity of curiosity? Or was a streaming collection simply the incorrect match? It is also value noting that 1998’s “I Nonetheless Know What You Did Final Summer time” made considerably lower than its predecessor (simply $40 million), with “I am going to All the time Know What You Did Final Summer time” going direct-to-home-media in 2006.
One factor that the studio has on its aspect is momentum. Horror has been sizzling this summer season, with large occasion style flicks doing main enterprise. Most notably, Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” stays one of many largest hits of the 12 months with virtually $400 million worldwide to its identify. Nevertheless it’s already streaming on HBO Max, so it is not a theatrical risk. Additional working in Sony’s favor right here is the truth that Blumhouse’s “M3GAN 2.0” significantly disillusioned on the field workplace not too long ago, serving as one of many summer season’s sole horror misfires. So, that is one much less direct competitor film to deal with.
“I Know What You Did Final Summer time” hits theaters on July 18, 2025.
