LOS ANGELES – The iconic hook-wielding killer known as The Fisherman is back to terrorize a new generation of teenagers in I Know What You Did Last Summer, the new legacy sequel, or "requel," that slashed its way into theaters this past weekend. But as audiences are discovering, the film holds major surprises that connect it directly to the 1997 original, including long-awaited character returns and a stunning twist on the killer's identity.

Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, known for her sharp and modern teen-centric films like Do Revenge, the 2025 movie follows a group of high school graduates in a seaside town who are stalked by a mysterious figure one year after a fatal accident. While the premise is familiar, reports from outlets including Deadline confirm that the script, co-written by Robinson, subverts fan expectations in significant ways.

Editor's Note: The following sections contain major spoilers for 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' (2025).

A New Secret and a Familiar Hook

The film introduces a new cast of characters led by rising stars Maya Calloway and Leo Franco, whose characters are at the center of a tragic hit-and-run incident following a graduation party. A year of silence and guilt comes to a bloody end when they begin receiving the infamous message: "I know what you did last summer."

What follows is a tense and brutal slasher that pays homage to the original's suspenseful set pieces while updating the kills for a modern audience. The central mystery propels the first two acts: Is this a copycat killer, or has the vengeful spirit of Ben Willis somehow returned?

Legacy Characters Confirm Their Survival

In a move that has electrified fans of the franchise, the film definitively answers a question that has lingered for decades. In the third act, as the new protagonists seek help, they are guided to the original final girl and boy, Julie James and Ray Bronson.

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprise their roles in significant cameo appearances, marking their first on-screen reunion as the characters since the 1998 sequel. It is revealed that Julie and Ray survived their previous encounters with The Fisherman and have been living quietly under new identities. Their appearance is not merely for nostalgia; they provide crucial information that helps the new cast understand the legacy of the killer they are facing, acting as mentors in a direct parallel to the Scream franchise's handling of its own legacy characters.

The Fisherman Unmasked: A Modern Twist

The film's most significant reveal is the identity of the person wielding the hook. As detailed in a spoiler-filled analysis by Deadline, the 2025 version of The Fisherman is not a single, resurrected killer. Instead, it is revealed to be a duo—two true-crime obsessed peers of the main cast who discovered the original "Fisherman" legend online.

Their motive is not personal revenge but a twisted desire for infamy by recreating and "improving upon" the original murders. This recontextualizes the threat as a commentary on viral fame and the dark side of online subcultures, a theme Robinson has explored in previous work. The twist effectively passes the villain's mantle to a new generation, creating a sustainable new threat for the franchise while honoring the original's lore.

The film's opening weekend success and the buzz surrounding its reveals suggest that Sony Pictures has successfully revived the 90s horror staple for the 21st century. By blending a new, compelling cast with a meaningful return of its original stars, I Know What You Did Last Summer appears to have cracked the code for a successful requel, leaving the door wide open for future installments.