The following contains spoilers for I Know What You Did Last Summer, now playing in theaters.I Know What You Did Last Summer has always held a firm place in the ’90s slashers genre thanks to its glossy, coastal nightmare that paired upcoming talent with brutal, hook-wielding revenge. 1997’s I Know What You Did Last Summer starred Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Philippe as a group of friends who become the target of a fisherman with a hook.
With Scream-like tropes elevated by the iconic fisherman killer and the unforgettable “What are you waiting for? “, the film boosted the career of its young ensemble. The new I Know What You Did Last Summer cast brought back Hewitt and Prinze Jr., who serve to help the latest generation deal with the same mess nearly three decades later.
While Hewitt and Prinze Jr.’s appearance seemed like standard nostalgic fan-service, what it delivered instead was one of the most audacious slasher twists in years. Though the remake was marketed as a legacy sequel, no one expected it to weaponize nostalgia this boldly, redefining the expectations for horror remakes and shaking up what audiences thought they knew about these beloved characters.
I Know What You Did Last Summer’s Ray Killer Twist Is Genuinely Shocking
Freddie Prinze Jr.’s Ray Being A Killer Rewrites The Legacy Of The Original Movie In A Bold, Risky Move
In the final act of 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer, it’s revealed that Prinze Jr.’s Ray, once a sympathetic survivor, is now one of the killers. There’s no last-minute chance for redemption, as he’s not brainwashed, blackmailed, or possessed. Instead, Ray’s angry, jaded, and out for blood. Once someone who risked everything to save Julie from the fisherman killer, Ray has now transformed into him.
Legacy horror sequels usually fail to walk a тιԍнтrope between honoring the past and moving forward in surprising ways, but I Know What You Did Last Summer just proved it’s possible. Turning Ray into the killer isn’t just bold; it’s a jaw-dropping departure from audience expectations and the legacy sequel formula. This decision reframes the story entirely, turning a once-loved character into a full-blown slasher villain.
Most legacy horror sequels go out of their way to protect returning characters, often at the expense of real stakes. The Scream franchise is a great example. Despite its rotating new cast, its legacy characters are rarely challenged in meaningful ways, repeatedly surviving and serving as static characters instead of evolving or surprising the audience.
While 2022’s Scream seemed to take a bit of a risk by killing off David Arquette’s Dewey Riley, Arquette’s confirmed return to Scream 7, alongside two other deceased characters, has once again lowered the stakes.
Ray’s twist is the opposite of that formula, making it clear that this sequel wasn’t interested in playing it safe. Instead, it’s using nostalgia as a weapon, luring audiences in, only to pull the rug out from under them.
Rather than being just another fan service, the remake sees Ray as someone reshaped by trauma. It challenges the idea that surviving horror makes one stronger; sometimes, it turns a person into something darker, which is a narrative risk most horror IPs are not willing to take.
Why Ray’s Twist In I Know What You Did Last Summer Is Controversial
The Internet’s Divided Reaction To Ray’s Betrayal Proves Legacy Sequels Are Riskier Than Ever
This creative decision will not sit well with everyone, as the early reaction to Ray’s killer twist has been intense, and understandably so. Audiences who came to see the old cast reunite might feel betrayed, and some argue it tarnishes Ray’s original arc. However, others see it as the bold kind of storytelling that horror remakes need more of.
Horror aficionados love a twist that surprises, and this one delivers due to Ray’s close connection to Stevie and the lingering issues in Southport.
With legacy sequels often relying on nostalgia, there’s an unwritten rule that returning heroes should be treated with respect, and turning Ray into the killer breaks that rule hard. Some have compared the twist to Halloween Ends‘ controversial treatment of Michael Myers. These are bold choices that split audiences down the middle. The shock lands, but for some longtime audiences, it cuts deep.
The film currently has a 39% Rotten Tomatoes score, with some critics saying the film lacks evolution, and the twist makes the film feel “smug” or “manufactured,” lacking compelling scares beyond shock.
On the flip side, there’s a growing wave of praise for the decision. Horror aficionados love a twist that surprises, and this one delivers due to Ray’s close connection to Stevie and the lingering issues in Southport. Audience reaction currently sits at 68%, with many praising the film as a major legacy sequel success, applauding strong performances and fresh kills.
With some applauding the remake’s jump into darker territory and others calling it lazy and unnecessary, the split response perfectly captures the high-stakes gamble of legacy horror sequels. With nearly 70% audience approval and intense debate brewing, the Ray twist proves that playing it safe won’t cut it anymore. Legacy horror needs to evolve, and I Know What You Did Last Summer shows it’s ready to lead that shift.
