Freddie Prinze Jr. and director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson are setting the record straight: Ray Bronson and Julie James are alive, and they’re back in the highly anticipated new I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel, coming to theaters July 18.
The fifth installment in the beloved horror franchise brings back fan-favorite survivors from the original films — Ray (Prinze Jr.) and Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) — while introducing a new generation of teens hiding a deadly secret. This time, the stakes are personal, and the past refuses to stay buried.
Ray and Julie’s Survival Explained
Fans have long debated the final scenes of 1998’s I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, where Julie was pulled under the bed by a killer and Ray was left vulnerable. Director and co-writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson has a definitive answer:
“I feel like those final scenes in the first two movies live outside the canon,” Robinson tells Entertainment Weekly. “They were more horror stingers than real narrative. So in our film, Ray and Julie are both alive and well — and we continue that tradition.”
Where Are Ray and Julie Now?
Freddie Prinze Jr. reveals that Ray has been shaped by decades of trauma following the 1997 Southport massacre. Now running a bar in his hometown, Ray is a more grounded, grittier version of his younger self.
“He’s not the fisherman he thought he’d be,” Prinze Jr. says. “He owns a bar and is just trying to stay afloat — emotionally and professionally.”
Julie, now older and more complex, also returns. Together, they must confront their past to help the new generation avoid the same deadly fate.
The Return of Karla? Brandy Norwood’s Character Gets Closure
Fans of the 1998 sequel have long wondered about Karla, played by Brandy Norwood. Robinson teases:
“We do find out what happened to her,” she says. “I’m a huge fan of the franchise and came to this as a fan first. That’s all I’ll say.”
Modern Themes and Emotional Depth
Robinson approached the film with a modern lens, focusing on trauma and healing. The older characters aren’t just back for nostalgia — they’re essential to the emotional core of the story.
“They’ve put Band-Aids on their past, but the younger cast rips those Band-Aids off,” Robinson explains. “Helping this new group becomes a form of closure for Ray and Julie.”
A New Cast, A New Mystery
Joining the returning stars are rising talents:
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Madelyn Cline
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Chase Sui Wonders
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Sarah Pidgeon
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Jonah Hauer-King
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Tyriq Withers
Each young actor plays a teen haunted by a deadly secret — and hunted by someone who knows what they did last summer.
“When Freddie and Jennifer walked on set, the energy changed,” Robinson recalls. “There was so much respect from the new cast. It was a surreal moment.”
Ray and Julie: Then and Now
Prinze Jr. says that reconnecting with Jennifer Love Hewitt felt natural.
“We didn’t need to create backstory — it’s all there in the script,” he says. “The audience will see who they are now and how the trauma shaped them.”
Release Date
I Know What You Did Last Summer opens in theaters on July 18, bringing closure, suspense, and a chilling new chapter to one of horror’s most iconic franchises.
