[Editor’s note: The following interview contains major spoilers for “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”]
One of many nice delights of the brand new “I Know What You Did Final Summer time” for followers of the unique is the film’s considerate, satisfying use of the primary film’s stars: Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt don’t simply make perfunctory cameo appearances, they’re integral elements of the plot. Which results in one other nice delight — and shock — when Prinze seems to be one of many film’s two killers.
For co-writer and director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, securing Prinze and Hewitt on board early was key — she ensured they had been on board with the route she needed to take earlier than even writing the script. “There have been some massive swings with the characters, so these had been conversations I had early on with them,” Robinson advised IndieWire on an upcoming episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit podcast. “I didn’t need to run in a route that one or each of them would have disliked.”
Robinson was decided to craft variations of the characters that might really feel like a pure evolution from the place they started within the 1997 movie, and was delighted when she met Prinze in a diner and located that he was rapidly on board together with his character crossing over to the darkish facet. “It was not essentially the pitch he thought he was going to get from me, however he was instantly on board,” Robinson mentioned. The truth that Prinze was an enormous horror fanatic who continually really useful movies to Robinson throughout manufacturing was an added bonus. “I leaned on him massively throughout this course of.”
That mentioned, the greatness of Prinze’s efficiency within the movie comes from the truth that he performs his character and not using a shred of self-consciousness or winking on the viewers — the revelation that he’s the killer is as tragic as it’s scary, due to the readability and depth with which Prinze delivers his climactic monologue. “He dedicated so exhausting,” Robinson mentioned of Prinze in his remaining speech. “That was the very last thing we shot with him, and I used to be so shocked. Every thing was layered and deep and nuanced, and you may really feel that ache. He executed it so superbly.”
Whereas Prinze and Hewitt’s appearances in “I Know What You Did Final Summer time” had been introduced properly upfront of manufacturing, Robinson and the studio saved a pair different performances by legacy solid members secret till launch. Maybe the most important shock was a cameo by Sarah Michelle Gellar; whereas the looks is totally justified as a part of a dream sequence, it nonetheless comes as a shock as a result of Gellar gave interviews publicly proclaiming how ridiculous it will be for her lifeless character to return to the franchise.
“It was an easy misdirect as a result of neither of us have lied,” Robinson mentioned. “Individuals say, ‘Is she going to be within the film?’ and I say, ‘She’s lifeless.’ And she or he is lifeless. It was enjoyable to…obfuscate, however not lie.” Robinson had labored with Gellar on her earlier film, “Do Revenge,” so when the director was supplied “I Know What You Did Final Summer time,” Gellar was her first name. “I mentioned, ‘I form of need to do that. Is that this bizarre?’ And she or he was so supportive. She was like, ‘It’s important to do that.’”
One other shock cameo comes within the movie’s post-credits sequence, when Brandy returns as her character from 1998’s “I Nonetheless Know What You Did Final Summer time.” Like Gellar, Brandy had been evasive in pre-release interviews, making her look extra shocking — and, due to the way in which Robinson ties all of the movies within the sequence collectively, extra satisfying. “I all the time needed Brandy within the movie, however I needed to be sure that it felt true to the story we had been telling and the characters and the tapestry.”
The truth that Hewitt’s character had retreated into isolation attributable to her trauma gave Robinson the hook she wanted to convey Brandy again. “I favored that the occasions of this film pushed her again to her former finest pal, and now her potential associate in crime,” Robinson mentioned. “The film had a purpose to push you to Brandy and offer you that prize on the finish of putting up with the expertise of ‘I Know What You Did Final Summer time.’ It offers you a enjoyable second of levity on the finish, the place you will have somebody commenting on the craziness that you just simply witnessed. It felt true and it felt proper.”
“I Know What You Did Final Summer time” is now enjoying in theaters. To be sure you don’t miss the Jennifer Kaytin Robinson episode of Filmmaker Toolkit, subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favourite podcast platform.