As a scorching summer heats up, so does the buzz around the revamped I Know What You Did Last Summer slasher flick — dropping in theaters this July 18. With a refreshed cast and a modern twist, this latest installment is already creating waves in horror fandom.
Starring Outer Banks favorite Madelyn Cline, breakout performer Chase Sui Wonders, Disney’s former prince Jonah Hauer-King, and rising star Tyriq Withers, this reboot promises thrills, laughs, blood, and heart — with just the right amount of camp.
Shooting Through a Heatwave
Filming for the promo shoot took place in sweltering East Coast conditions. At a remote estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, the cast battled 98-degree temperatures while pulling off glamorous and gritty shots.
Madelyn Cline, dressed in oversized T-shirts and huge hair rollers, bounced into the set with high energy. On a break from Outer Banks filming, she opted to do her own makeup and requested a speaker to get into the zone. “Music gets me in character,” she laughed.
With the stars’ schedules tightly aligned for this major shoot, director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson described the cast as “a joy to be around” and called the experience one of the best of her career — heatwave and all.
Madelyn Cline as the Pageant Queen-Turned-Survivor
Cline takes on the role of Danica, a former pageant queen with her wedding on the horizon — if she can survive the mysterious masked killer haunting her town.
Infusing the character with her natural comedic timing, Cline ad-libbed a standout line in her audition: “Sorry, I think I just took too much Adderall this morning.” The director loved it so much, it made the final cut.
Veteran actor Freddie Prinze Jr., returning as Ray Bronson, praised Cline’s performance and consistency. “She had to hold an intense emotional beat all day, and she did it with grace,” he shared. Even his daughter was thrilled to know her dad was working with “Danica from Outer Banks.”
Jonah Hauer-King: From Prince to Psycho?
You may recognize Jonah Hauer-King from The Little Mermaid, but in this film, he’s nearly unrecognizable with a full beard from a recent project (The Eden Express).
Playing Milo, the straitlaced member of the group, Hauer-King brings both charm and complexity. The director called him “a quietly dynamic actor,” noting that the moments between his lines are where his performance shines.
While on set, he relaxed in the garden, braved the humidity like a pro, and even reminisced about his teenage band Rova — which his castmates quickly teased him about. “I’d love to play again,” he laughed, “maybe one of the guys will get married and we’ll do it at the wedding.”
Chase Sui Wonders: The New Final Girl
As Ava, Chase Sui Wonders becomes the group’s conscience — and maybe its best chance at survival. The Harvard graduate brings nuance, fire, and vulnerability to the screen.
Wonders quickly became the heart of the team off-set as well. The director admitted, “I wanted to be her best friend.” Her humor, calm under pressure, and leadership vibe made her the perfect new scream queen.
In one meta twist, Ava seeks help from someone who’s faced the Fisherman killer before — Julie James, played again by Jennifer Love Hewitt. Their scene together is a franchise-defining moment. Hewitt praised Wonders, saying, “She has the Julie James heart. It felt like passing the torch.”
Tyriq Withers: From the Gridiron to the Big Screen
Standing at 6’5″ and with NFL dreams behind him, Tyriq Withers brings both power and depth to the role of Teddy, the athletic yet emotionally grounded member of the group.
After landing the role, Withers admitted he went “nonverbal for 30 seconds,” overwhelmed with joy. Since wrapping this project, he’s already been cast in two major films — including Him (produced by Jordan Peele) and the romantic drama Reminders of Him.
Director Robinson calls him “a movie star in the making,” noting his ability to command attention on camera despite being relatively unknown.
Real-Life Reunions and Summer Bonding
Co-star Sarah Pidgeon joins the ensemble as the fifth lead, reuniting with Wonders after the two performed together in community theater as preteens. Their childhood roles in Willy Wonka — Veruca and Violet — now feel like a warm-up for this adrenaline-fueled reunion.
Filming stretched across Australia and Los Angeles, and during downtime, the cast bonded deeply — attending concerts, hitting the beach, and playing intense rounds of Mafia and paddle tennis.
What could have been a chaotic group dynamic turned into something rare: a cast that genuinely supports one another. “We leaned on each other a lot,” Hauer-King admitted. Withers added, “If there was any competition, it was me trying to keep up.”
A Franchise Legacy, Reimagined
Much like the original 1997 film launched its stars into fame, this reboot feels like lightning striking twice. Producer Neal H. Moritz, who also worked on the original, said, “We’ve struck gold with this cast. You can feel it.”
Freddie Prinze Jr. marveled at how collaborative and supportive this new generation is. “It’s different from my day,” he said. “These kids are in it together. It’s beautiful to see.”
With bloody twists, dynamic characters, and genuine chemistry, this new I Know What You Did Last Summer is set to deliver exactly what horror fans crave — and maybe something even more lasting: the beginning of new Hollywood legends.