As Halloween inches closer and our viewing habits change from summer blockbusters to all things scary (and I stress over finding a costume for a friend’s annual party), there’s also a reboot of a popular ’90s horror movie to get excited about. And one of the OG’s biggest stars is discussing why she isn’t returning.
Sarah Michelle Gellar told People the reason why she won’t star in the I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel… and it’s perfectly succinct. Her character, Helen Shivers, died.
On the one hand, that makes total sense. On the other hand, some fans wouldn’t mind if Helen was brought back from the dead. After all, I Know What You Did Last Summer is corny, not actually scary, and there could be some random explanation for why Helen didn’t actually perish at the hands (or hook) of Ben Willis — no one would ever complain about seeing Gellar on screen again. But while I love cheesy ’90s pop culture and would buy anything this spooky sequel is selling, I get that it’s more realistic for Helen to stay dead. At least we’ll see Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.) again… and hopefully Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt), if she officially signs on.
Gellar also told People that she is good pals with the sequel’s director, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, and will serve as the unofficial “continuity” person for the new movie. Gellar said, “I’m always the one telling her, ‘Well, that would happen, or that wouldn’t happen with those characters,’ so I do have kind of an unofficial job title.” Since a lot of time has passed since the original, that’s a great idea.
Fans were excited to hear the star’s comments and praised her on X. While I’d also love to see Helen, let’s not forget that the final moments of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer suggested both Ray and Julie were killed… so the sequel has some major explaining to do. But maybe Julie had prepped for that big moment and knew just how to defend herself. She’s a final girl, after all!
As Julie’s good friend who wants to be a famous actress, Helen’s well-written arc includes coming to terms with the fact that she’s still living in her hometown one year after the terrifying hit-and-run. She works at a local department store with her sister and wonders what happened to her big dreams. I’d also argue that her death scene, which takes place when she’s appearing at the Croaker Queen Pageant as the previous year’s winner, is one of the most memorable. Unlike the rest of the movie, it’s actually scary, as nothing is more spine-chilling than a killer attacking someone amid a huge celebration. There are many awkward moments in the sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, which was set in the Bahamas, but Helen’s murder in the original is tragic, horrifying, and yes, iconic.
While it’s sad that Gellar won’t be in this horror sequel, she’s doing great and still has an adorable marriage to Freddie Prinze Jr. She’s also busy these days and is starring in another reboot: Dexter: Resurrection which follows the mysterious Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) on a new journey. Even without Gellar, I’m still on board for I Know What You Did Last Summer‘s sequel.
Published: Oct 7, 2024 12:59 pm