I Know What You Did Last Summer (franchise)
A hook-wielding killer stalks those who covered up a fatal accident.
Sony Pictures Entertainment owns the *I Know What You Did Last Summer* franchise, an American horror series built around four slasher films and one television show. The property draws from Lois Duncan's 1973 novel. Its core premise involves characters being hunted by a killer wielding a hook after they cover up a hit-and-run accident. The first movie, released in 1997, was written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Jim Gillespie. Two theatrical sequels, a direct-to-video standalone sequel, and a TV series followed. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. appear as Julie James and Ray Bronson in most of the films. Critical reception has been mixed across the board, though the original film gained a cult following. Worldwide, the franchise has earned $274 million.
Quick Facts
- Title
- I Know What You Did Last Summer
- Years
- 1997–2025
- Creator
- Lois Duncan
- Origin
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (1973)
- Owner
- Sony Pictures Entertainment
- Films
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) / I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) / I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)
- Direct-To-Video
- I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006)
- Tv
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (2021)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The franchise began with the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer, which re-envisioned Lois Duncan's slow-burn mystery novel as a violent slasher film. The story follows four teens who accidentally run over and kill a young bicycling boy, dump his body into the sea, and are stalked exactly one year later by a mysterious fisherman with a hook. The first film developed a cult following despite mixed reviews.
Reader's Guide
The franchise includes two theatrical sequels—I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) and I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)—plus a direct-to-video standalone sequel, I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006), and a television series that premiered in 2021. Most films star Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie James and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray Bronson. The 2025 legacy sequel brought back Hewitt and Prinze Jr. after years in development hell. Each installment has received mixed reviews from critics, but collectively the films have grossed $274 million worldwide. The franchise's iconic killer, the Fisherman, has also appeared as a playable character in Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Did You Know?
- The 2006 direct-to-video sequel was originally considered for theatrical release.
- No 2025 legacy sequel has been officially announced or released by Sony Pictures Entertainment as of current canon.
- The Fisherman does not appear as a playable character in Call of Duty: Warzone or Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
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