Latest news with #Jennifer Love Hewitt
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer' Director on the Shocking Twist Ending — and a Few Other Surprises
[Editor's note: The following interview contains major spoilers for 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.'] One of the great delights of the new 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' for fans of the original is the movie's thoughtful, satisfying use of the first movie's stars: Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt don't just make perfunctory cameo appearances, they're integral components of the plot. Which leads to another great delight — and surprise — when Prinze turns out to be one of the movie's two killers. More from IndieWire 'I Still Know What You Did Last Summer' Has Slasher Fans Nostalgic for... Jack Black in Dreads? China Just Started Using AI to Animate Film Adaptations - Is Labubu Next? For co-writer and director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, securing Prinze and Hewitt on board early was key — she ensured they were on board with the direction she wanted to take before even writing the script. 'There were some big swings with the characters, so those were conversations I had early on with them,' Robinson told IndieWire on an upcoming episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit podcast. 'I didn't want to run in a direction that one or both of them would have disliked.' Robinson was determined to craft versions of the characters that would feel like a natural evolution from where they began in the 1997 film, and was delighted when she met Prinze in a diner and found that he was quickly on board with his character crossing over to the dark side. 'It was not necessarily the pitch he thought he was going to get from me, but he was immediately on board,' Robinson said. The fact that Prinze was a huge horror fanatic who constantly recommended films to Robinson during production was an added bonus. 'I leaned on him hugely during this process.' That said, the greatness of Prinze's performance in the film comes from the fact that he plays his character without a shred of self-consciousness or winking at the audience — the revelation that he's the killer is as tragic as it is scary, thanks to the clarity and depth with which Prinze delivers his climactic monologue. 'He committed so hard,' Robinson said of Prinze in his final speech. 'That was the last thing we shot with him, and I was so taken aback. Everything was layered and deep and nuanced, and you could feel that pain. He executed it so beautifully.' While Prinze and Hewitt's appearances in 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' were announced well in advance of production, Robinson and the studio kept a couple other performances by legacy cast members secret until release. Perhaps the biggest surprise was a cameo by Sarah Michelle Gellar; while the appearance is completely justified as part of a dream sequence, it nevertheless comes as a shock because Gellar gave interviews publicly proclaiming how ridiculous it would be for her dead character to return to the franchise. 'It was a very easy misdirect because neither of us have lied,' Robinson said. 'People say, 'Is she going to be in the movie?' and I say, 'She's dead.' And she is dead. It was fun to…obfuscate, but not lie.' Robinson had worked with Gellar on her previous movie, 'Do Revenge,' so when the director was offered 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' Gellar was her first call. 'I said, 'I kind of want to do this. Is this weird?' And she was so supportive. She was like, 'You have to do this.'' Another surprise cameo comes in the film's post-credits sequence, when Brandy returns as her character from 1998's 'I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.' Like Gellar, Brandy had been evasive in pre-release interviews, making her appearance more surprising — and, thanks to the way Robinson ties all the films in the series together, more satisfying. 'I always wanted Brandy in the film, but I wanted to make sure that it felt true to the story we were telling and the characters and the tapestry.' The fact that Hewitt's character had retreated into isolation due to her trauma gave Robinson the hook she needed to bring Brandy back. 'I liked that the events of this movie pushed her back to her former best friend, and now her potential partner in crime,' Robinson said. 'The movie had a reason to push you to Brandy and give you that prize at the end of enduring the experience of 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.' It gives you a fun moment of levity at the end, where you have someone commenting on the craziness that you just witnessed. It felt true and it felt right.' 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' is now playing in theaters. To make sure you don't miss the Jennifer Kaytin Robinson episode of Filmmaker Toolkit, subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. Best of IndieWire The 16 Best Slasher Movies Ever Made, from 'Candyman' to 'Psycho' Martin Scorsese's Favorite Movies Include 'Eddington': 87 Films the Director Wants You to See The Best Thrillers Streaming on Netflix in July, from 'Vertigo' and 'Rear Window' to 'Emily the Criminal'
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘I What You Did Last Summer' Reviews: Is Slasher Reboot A Cut Above Original?
Chase Sui Wonders in "I Know What You Did Last Summer." I Know What You Did Last Summer — a reboot of the 1997 hit slasher classic starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt — is new in theaters. How are Rotten Tomatoes critics reacting to the film? Rated R, I Know What You Did Last Summer opens Friday in theaters nationwide. The official summary for the film reads, "When five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident, they cover up their involvement and make a pact to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences. 'A year later, their past comes back to haunt them and they're forced to confront a horrifying truth: someone knows what they did last summer … and is hell-bent on revenge. As one by one the friends are stalked by a killer, they discover this has happened before, and they turn to two survivors of the legendary Southport Massacre of 1997 for help.' Prinze and Hewitt reprise their roles of Ray and Julie from the original I Know What You Did Last Summer, while Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers and Sarah Pidgeon play the friends in the group who try to cover up the deadly accident. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, I Know What You Did Last Summer also stars Billy Campbell, Gabbriette Bechtel and Austin Nichols. As of Friday, Rotten Tomatoes critics have given I Know What You Did Last Summer a 39% 'rotten' rating based on 109 reviews. The RT Critics Consensus for the film reads, 'Faithfully harkening back to the original for better or worse, this I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot serves up plenty of nostalgia without finding a compelling hook of its own.' I Know What You Did Last Summer earned a 68% 'fresh' score on RT's Popcornmeter based on 100-plus verified user ratings. The RT audience summary for the film is still pending. What Are Individual Critics Saying About 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'? Beatrice Loayza of The New York Times is among the top critics on RT who gives I Know What You Did Last Summer a 'rotten' review, writing, 'If only these intriguing elements were attached to a more exciting film: We may live among our ghosts, but it's only fun if they're actually scaring us.' Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter also gives I Know What You Did Last Summer a 'rotten' rating on RT, writing in his review summary, 'Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and her co-screenwriter Sam Lansky display clear affection for the franchise... But they haven't succeeded in breathing new life into a tired franchise that, creatively speaking, should have remained dead.' The film also earned a 'rotten' rating from Owen Gleiberman of Variety, who writes on RT, 'If nothing else, I Know What You Did Last Summer delivers on the nostalgic promise of its title, but that's a qualified compliment. The film should have been called I Know What You Saw at the Megaplex Last Century, and You're Still Seeing It.' On the positive side, Alison Foreman of IndieWire uses the film's gives a nod to the film's fishing industry setting in her 'fresh' review summary on RT, writing, 'Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson made the catch of the season with this lean, mean serial killer flick.' William Bibbiani of The Wrap also gives the film a 'fresh' rating on RT — albeit with some reservations — writing, 'Logic, be damned! And begone! Everything about the new I Know What You Did Last Summer strains credulity until credulity breaks open and spills fake blood and candy everywhere. And that's for the best.' Benjamin Lee of the UK's Guardian also gives the film a 'fresh' rating on RT, writing, 'It's possible that this will live on mostly as a pop culture curio. But at a time of nostalgia overload, [Jennifer Kaytin] Robinson finds a way to make her attempt not exactly necessary but unpretentiously pleasurable enough for that not to really matter.' I Know What You Did Last Summer opens in theaters nationwide on Friday.
Screen Geek
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Screen Geek
Jennifer Love Hewitt Urges Fans To Watch 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' Credits
The long-awaited follow-up to I Know What You Did Last Summer and I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is nearly here. The new film will ignore the events of the third film in the series as well as the stand-alone Amazon Prime series, with original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. set to reprise their roles. Now Jennifer Love Hewitt is urging fans to stay for the credits when watching the new sequel also titled I Know What You Did Last Summer . Naturally, it's unknown what exactly will happen during the credits for the sequel, but Hewitt teases quite a few possibilities while speaking with Extra. Whatever the case may be, it sounds like fans will certainly find it worthwhile if they manage to stay for the credits and see what director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson has planned. 'Don't miss the credits,' Hewitt begins. 'It could be a popcorn moment, it could be a death, or it could just be something really fun – but don't miss it.' While Hewitt doesn't fully reveal what will happen, it sounds like I Know What You Did Last Summer will be taking full advantage of the credits to include a post-credits scene worth seeing. Whether or not it's something played for laughs or a proper teaser for another sequel remains to be revealed. Of course, with the film's release coming this month, fans won't have long to wait to find out. In addition to Hewitt and Prinze, the film also stars Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, and Sarah Pidgeon. Other cast members include Gabbriette Bechtel, Billy Campbell, Austin Nichols, Lola Tung, and Nicholas Alexander Chavez. Robinson directed the film from a screenplay she co-wrote with Sam Lansky, based on a story Robinson co-created with Leah McKendrick. I Know What You Did Last Summer will hit theaters on July 18, 2025. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding the follow-up as we have them.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jennifer Love Hewitt Was The Target Of Body Shaming Online, But Fans Are Rushing To Her Defense
It's been nearly 30 years since Jennifer Love Hewitt hit the red carpet for I Know What You Did Last Summer back in 1997. Well, she's back for the latest installment in the franchise, but some people gave her a hard time for not looking like her teenage self during the original premiere. On Monday, Jennifer attended the Los Angeles premiere of her American slasher film at The United Theater on Broadway with her cast members, including Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Sarah Pidgeon, and Gabriette Bechtel. The 46-year-old actor reprised her role of Julie James in the iconic thriller. Fans will also be happy to see some other members of the original cast, like Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. Related: The character of Julie James was initially introduced to audiences in the late '90s when Jennifer was just 18 years old. But when photos dropped of Jennifer enjoying the event in an ankle-length, beaded black spaghetti-strap dress, she was bombarded with negative comments about her physical appearance, specifically comparing her current body shape to how they remembered her looking in her late teens and early twenties. Jennifer is now married with three children. If you aren't familiar with her lore or just old enough to know, Jennifer grew up to be one of America's sweethearts. She was viewed as a teen idol when she landed the role of Sarah Reeves Merrin in Party of Five. Although she was just 16 when she joined the cast, it didn't take long for Hollywood and the media to begin sexualizing her image. Jennifer has opened up about uncomfortable moments with TV hosts, who would openly talk about her breasts when she was a teenager. She also reflected on being viewed as the "hot girl" in movies and automatically being thrown in the "sex symbol" category at such a young age. Jennifer had no control over the public perception that was placed upon her and her body. And unfortunately, that sentiment still rings true, except this time, instead of highlighting her looks, now people are trying to tear her down. Some people just can't comprehend that all of our bodies go through changes as we get older, and that could mean weight, wrinkles, and white hair. Everyone ages differently, but public figures, specifically women, are always demonized and criticized for going through life's natural aging process. Related: Related: But the disgusting comments and hate were nothing compared to the men and women hyping Jennifer up, sharing sweet compliments, and spreading positivity: Related: Some people even pointed out the differing beauty standards when it comes to various cultures, particularly Black vs white concepts of beauty: Jennifer looks happy and healthy, and that's all that matters to me. It's exhausting how often women's bodies are policed, and I just wish people would keep their negative comments to themselves, because instead of being helpful, it only causes hurt. Also in Celebrity: Also in Celebrity: Also in Celebrity: Solve the daily Crossword
Gizmodo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer' Cleverly Hooks a New Generation
The new I Know What You Did Last Summer offers a bold, refreshing take on horror requels that's a worthy successor to the original film. While stars of the 1997 film Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprise their roles as Julie James and Ray Bronson, it's a relief that they are not the parents of any of the new gang of accidental murderers. This isn't just I Know What You Did: The Next Generation, and the fact that it isn't speaks to the new film's desire to do something more than just soothe your horror nostalgia. Instead, the 2025 reboot-quel introduces us to a new friend group of fresh-faced youths who are up to no good on the Fourth of July. After an engagement party, they decide to be on the road recklessly, leading to the death of a driver in an oncoming vehicle that almost strikes the groom-to-be, Teddy (Tyriq Withers), before he's saved by his best man, Milo (Jonah Hauer-King). Teddy's bride-to-be, Danica (Madelyn Cline), helps him convince their friends to let his rich developer father sweep what happened under the rug to save their skins. Eva (Chase Sui Wonders) and Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon) protest but ultimately are convinced to keep quiet. A rift develops between Eva and her friends once she leaves town, but when she returns a year later for Danica's bridal shower, there is, of course, a note with one simple message: I Know What You Did Last Summer. And we know that's never a good thing. A bloodbath quickly ensues once again in the sleepy beach town of Southport, much like the one Teddy's father scrubbed from the internet—which happens to be the very hook murderer killing spree Julie and Ray narrowly survived in the events of the first film in the series. It's a clever conceit, one that lets the new cast of characters who've moved into Southport be in the dark about its history while also satisfyingly giving I Know What You Did Last Summer's new hook-wielding killer an air of mystery. And as that mystery, and the dread surrounding it, begins to build, I Know What You Did Last Summer equally cleverly weaves in a lot of humor with the tension. In particular, Danica and Teddy keep the levity even as things get intense, and Cline and Withers' performances make you fall in love with the best friends who got everyone into the mess. Danica might be modeled after the franchise's fave dead girl, Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), and Teddy on the long-deceased Barry (Ryan Phillipe), but Cline and Withers steal this movie. Their relationship, like Eva and Milo's, becomes so easy to root for. You really grow to care about the bonds between the friends in this installment and don't really want to see any of them get the hook, which makes it all the more shocking when whoever gets it inevitably gets got. There's a similar deftness to how the film handles the return of its legacy stars. As the bodies start to pile up, Eva reaches out to Julie James, the franchise's original final girl, now a professor. Hewitt's return to pass the final girl mantle to Eva is such a great moment that doesn't overstay its purpose. Meanwhile, Prinze shows up in a similar capacity to offer guidance to the new crew going through similar trauma. Both act as ways to help the film's new leads come to terms with the past, rather than simply feeling like excuses to bring back familiar faces. I Know What You Did Last Summer is a fantastic slasher flick on its own terms, one that offers a refreshing new vision while not being entirely rooted in nostalgia. Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson carves out a place for this reboot in the cadre of the horror genre's best for a new generation. The horror lies in the film's tension and isn't wasted on only jump scares, but propels its peril with unexpected turns (building to a legitimately killer last act that will leave you shook to your core, in so many ways). It's a smart, slick slasher that cleverly builds on what made the original film so iconic without being totally beholden to its legacy—and will get you hooked all over again. I Know What You Did Last Summer opens in theaters July 18. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
