I Know What You Did Last Summer Reboot Falls Flat
While the original I Know What You Did Last Summer is not a bad film, it is broadly remembered for its attention-grabbing title and parodies in films like Scary Movie. In contrast, the suggested films have achieved cult status and have dedicated fan bases, making them more suitable for legacy sequels that can revisit and reimagine their iconic characters and storylines.
The horror reboot "I Know What You Did Last Summer" has opened to mediocre reviews, with a 38% critics' score and 68% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating a lackluster audience response and a disappointing start for a franchise film.
The movie, directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, earned a C+ grade on CinemaScore, and its box office performance is expected to be modest, with a projected $15 million haul in its domestic debut. This is a disappointing start, especially considering the success of recent horror reboots like "Scream" and "Final Destination." The movie's reviews are also lower than those of the original 1997 film, which earned a B- CinemaScore grade and grossed $125 million worldwide.
Jennifer Love Hewitt reprises her role as Julie James in the new film, 28 years after the original. Hewitt was initially hesitant to return to the franchise but wanted to ensure that Julie's part in the movie mattered and that she fit in with the new story. The new film reintroduces Julie as a psychology professor who specializes in trauma, and she is soon drawn back into a mystery involving a vengeful fisherman copycat.
The reboot's poor performance has led to questions about which classic horror movies deserve legacy sequels. Films like Shaun of the Dead, Phantasm, Event Horizon, The Sixth Sense, Army of Darkness, and Don't Look Now have been suggested as more worthy of a legacy sequel, with their unique blends of horror, comedy, and psychological themes providing ample opportunities for new storylines and characters.