Questions

What is the plot?

On July 4th, Ava Brucks returns to her hometown of Southport, North Carolina, to attend her friend Danica Richards' engagement party. After the celebration, Ava, Danica, Ava's ex Milo Griffin, Danica's fiancé Teddy Spencer, and their former friend Stevie Ward, who recently left drug rehab, drive to a cliffside road to watch fireworks. While parked, Teddy causes a car driven by Sam Cooper to swerve off the cliff, resulting in Sam's death. Ava urges calling the police, but Teddy insists on secrecy and uses his influential father, politician Grant Spencer, to cover up the accident, convincing the group to keep silent about their involvement.

One year later, Ava returns to Southport for Danica's new engagement party, this time to Wyatt, as Danica and Teddy have broken up. Ava reunites with Milo and Stevie and meets Tyler Trevino, a true crime podcaster researching the 1997 killing spree by fisherman Ben Willis. At the party, Danica receives a threatening note stating, "I know what you did last summer." The group suspects Teddy but he denies involvement. That night, Wyatt is alone with Danica at their home. While Danica takes a bath listening to a tape, Wyatt notices lights outside and suspects an intruder. Suddenly, a figure dressed in black with a hook and harpoon gun—resembling the original killer Ben Willis—attacks Wyatt, shooting him twice with the harpoon and slashing him with a hook. Danica discovers Wyatt's corpse positioned upright with the message "You can't erase the past" written in his blood on the wall.

Convinced someone knows about the accident and is targeting them, the group investigates Ben Willis. Tyler shows Ava the site where Ben murdered Elsa Shivers in 1997. While there, the Fisherman ambushes them, killing Tyler. Ava manages to escape after wounding the attacker. The town is unwilling to get involved, fearing tourist backlash, and the police are skeptical. The group seeks help from Julie James, a survivor of the original murders, who believes the Fisherman has a personal connection to Sam Cooper.

Stevie reveals she was dating Sam and felt betrayed by the group for not going to the police after the accident. She was present the night of the accident but did not report it because Teddy promised his powerful father would handle it. Stevie's motive for revenge is rooted in her grief and feeling abandoned by the friends. It is also revealed there is a second killer, Ray, who employs Stevie at his bar and promised her father protection.

In a climactic boat scene, Ray arrives and seemingly kills Stevie after she kills Danica. Stevie falls off the boat into the water during the struggle. This mirrors a rescue scene from the original 1997 story where Ray helps Julie. The film ends with the implication that the cycle of violence and secrets continues, with the true extent of the killers' identities and motives revealed through these confrontations.

What is the ending?

⚠ Spoiler – click to reveal

The ending of the 2025 film I Know What You Did Last Summer concludes with a violent confrontation on a boat where Stevie stabs Danica, causing her to fall overboard. Ray arrives, shoots Stevie to stop her, but Stevie survives. The film ends with Ava telling Danica that Stevie is still alive, leaving the possibility of her return open. Ava and Danica survive their injuries and reach the hospital, while Julie James, a survivor from the original 1997 killings, also survives. Ray dies from a spear gun wound inflicted by Ava during the final confrontation.

The ending unfolds in a tense, scene-by-scene narrative:

  1. Boat Confrontation: Ava, Danica, and Stevie attempt to escape the murderous spree by fleeing on Teddy's boat. However, tensions escalate when Stevie unexpectedly stabs Danica, causing her to fall overboard into the water. This act reveals Stevie's hidden motives and secrets that she had kept from the group.

  2. Ray's Arrival and Shootout: Ray Bronson, a survivor from the 1997 Southport massacre, arrives on a smaller boat. He confronts Stevie, who is revealed to be involved in the killings. To stop her, Ray shoots Stevie. Despite being shot, Stevie mocks Ava's belief that she is dead, implying she survives the attack.

  3. Danica's Fate: After falling overboard, Danica is seriously wounded but manages to survive. Ava and Danica both make it to a hospital in time, indicating their survival despite the brutal events.

  4. Ray's Death: During the final confrontation, Ray is distracted by his ex-wife Julie James. Taking advantage of this, Ava grabs a spear gun and shoots Ray in the back. Ray bleeds out and dies, ending his arc as a survivor turned avenger.

  5. Julie James' Role: Julie, reprising her role from the original film, survives the latest attack. She is the last survivor of the original main characters, symbolizing continuity between the original and the new story.

  6. Stevie's Survival and Open Ending: The film closes with Ava informing Danica that Stevie is still alive, though Stevie does not appear again. This leaves an open-ended threat, suggesting Stevie could return in a sequel or continue to haunt the survivors.

In summary, the ending is a violent climax where the main characters face betrayal, survival, and death. Ava and Danica survive despite serious injuries, Ray dies after trying to stop Stevie, and Stevie remains alive, maintaining the cycle of terror. Julie James survives as a link to the past, and the film closes on an uncertain note about the future threat posed by Stevie.

Is there a post-credit scene?

⚠ Spoiler – click to reveal

Yes, the 2025 film I Know What You Did Last Summer has a post-credit scene. In this scene, Karla Wilson (played by Brandy Norwood) is watching a news report about Ray's actions from the film. Suddenly, it appears that someone, possibly a killer, is spying on Karla from outside her home. When Karla answers the door in a panic, she finds Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) standing there, whom she hasn't seen in years. Julie shows Karla a letter that essentially says "I know what you did" and "I still know what you did," hinting at ongoing threats and connecting to the legacy of the franchise. This scene sets up a potential sequel that would bring together different generations of characters and continue the story.

The post-credit scene is significant because it confirms the return of Brandy's character Karla from I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) and teases future franchise plans involving both new and legacy characters. It also suggests that the story will continue to explore the consequences of past events and the ongoing danger posed by the killers introduced in the film.

Who is the killer in the 2025 film I Know What You Did Last Summer and what motivates them?

The killer in the 2025 film is a mysterious figure dressed as a fisherman holding a hook who targets the group involved in a tragic accident. The motivation is tied to the group's secret about the accident where a truck driver was wounded and they covered it up instead of helping. The killings begin after Danica receives a note saying, 'I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER,' indicating the killer knows their secret.

What is the tragic accident that the main characters are involved in?

The main characters—Ava, Danica, Milo, Teddy, and Stevie—are involved in a tragic accident on a Fourth of July night where Teddy's careless actions cause a truck driver to swerve off a cliff and get wounded. Instead of helping, the group hides what happened with the help of Grant Spencer, Teddy's powerful father.

What role do Julie James and Ray Bronson play in the 2025 film?

Julie James and Ray Bronson, played by Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. respectively, are characters who lived through the first killing spree and are asked by the new group for help when the new killings start.

What is Stevie Ward's secret revealed in the film?

Stevie Ward admits that she killed the man who was upset about the death of her boyfriend, revealing a dark secret connected to the events surrounding the tragic accident and the subsequent killings.

How are the characters Danica Richards and Teddy Spencer connected to the story's central events?

Danica Richards is a smart and resourceful young woman struggling with guilt over the bad choice made a year ago related to the accident. Teddy Spencer's careless actions caused the truck driver to swerve off a cliff, triggering the tragic accident that sets the story in motion. Teddy is also the son of Grant Spencer, who helps the group cover up the incident.

Is this family friendly?

The 2025 movie I Know What You Did Last Summer is not family friendly; it is rated R due to bloody horror violence, strong language, some sexual content, and brief drug use.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects for children or sensitive viewers include:

  • Multiple graphic scenes of people being killed with spears, stabbing, and slashing, with visible bloody wounds.
  • A fatal car accident involving a vehicle going over a cliff.
  • Several intense discussions about lying, trauma, and taking responsibility, which may be emotionally heavy.
  • Sexual content including a couple of sex scenes with partial nudity and kissing scenes.
  • Frequent strong language, including at least 40 uses of the F-word.

Overall, the film contains typical slasher horror elements with violence and mature themes that make it unsuitable for children or those sensitive to graphic content.

Who dies?

⚠ Spoiler – click to reveal

Yes, several characters die in the 2025 film I Know What You Did Last Summer. Here is a detailed list of the main character deaths, including the circumstances, timing, and methods:

  • Wyatt: He is Danica's new fiancé and is killed about one year after the initial accident. Wyatt is murdered at his home during the night by a hook-wielding assailant dressed like the original Fisherman killer from 1997. He is shot through the back and abdomen with a harpoon gun and then slashed with a hook. His death is discovered by Danica, who finds his corpse positioned upright with a message written in his blood on the wall.

  • Tyler Trevino: A true crime podcaster researching the original Southport murders, Tyler is ambushed and killed by the Fisherman while showing Ava the location of a past murder. Ava manages to escape after wounding the attacker.

  • Teddy Spencer: Danica's ex-fiancé and son of a politician named Grant Spencer, Teddy dies offscreen but is found strung up on the dock alongside his father. His death is used as a lure by the killers.

  • Grant Spencer: Teddy's father, a politician who helped cover up the initial accident, is also killed and found strung up on the dock with his son.

  • Ray and Stevie: These two characters are involved in the killing spree. Ray is killed in the final confrontation by Ava, who shoots him in the back with a spear gun, causing him to bleed out. Stevie is seemingly shot by Ray but survives, mocking Ava's belief that he is dead.

Regarding survivors, Ava, Danica, and Julie James (a survivor from the original 1997 killings) survive despite serious wounds. Ava and Danica make it to the hospital, and Julie survives her latest encounter with the killers.

In summary, the deaths are mostly caused by a new hook-wielding killer or killers connected to the original Fisherman murders, targeting the group involved in the cover-up of a fatal car accident. The killings occur roughly one year after the accident, with the victims dying in violent, hook-related ways consistent with the franchise's slasher theme.

Does the dog die?

⚠ Spoiler – click to reveal

In the 2025 film I Know What You Did Last Summer, there is no indication or mention that a dog dies. The available plot summaries and details focus on the human characters and the killings related to the hook-wielding Fisherman killer, with no reference to any dog or its fate. Additionally, a separate source about dogs dying in movies confirms no dog death related to this film, as it specifically addresses a different movie and clarifies that no dog dies in that context, implying that if a dog were involved in I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025), its death would have been noted. Therefore, it can be concluded that no dog dies in the 2025 I Know What You Did Last Summer movie.