The new I Know What You Did Last Summer movie brings together new and old characters, and a Helen Shivers reference in the first trailer proves why Sarah Michelle Gellar made the right decision in not returning. Among the horror franchises coming back to life in 2025 is I Know What You Did Last Summer, which hasn’t had a theatrically released movie since 1998. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, I Know What You Did Last Summer is a direct sequel to I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, though it mainly focuses on a group of new characters.

I Know What You Did Last Summer’s new sequel follows the same premise as the original movie, with a group of friends inadvertently causing a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly car accident and covering it up, promising to never talk about it again. A year later, they are stalked and killed by a mysterious man dressed as a fisherman. Their only hope might be Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr), the survivors of the 1997 mᴀssacre, as they already went through this. Julie and Ray are the only confirmed legacy characters in the movie, but it has a reference to another beloved character.

I Know What You Did Last Summer’s Trailer Shows Helen Shivers’ Grave

The New I Know What You Did Last Summer Has A Quick Helen Easter Egg

Julie and Ray are the only survivors of the 1997 Southport mᴀssacre (and two of three survivors of the 1998 Bahamas mᴀssacre, along with Karla). Along with their friends Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Barry Cox (Ryan Phillippe), Ray and Julie accidentally ran over a man on the road on July 4, 1996. After throwing his body in the water, right after the man woke up, Barry made them swear they would never talk about this incident again; however, what none of them was counting on was the man they hit with their car returning a year later for revenge.

After stalking them, sending them notes, and haunting them in different ways, the fisherman first killed Barry during Southport’s Beauty Pageant, just as Helen was watching. That same night, the fisherman killed Helen, who fought for her life for as long as she could. Of course, Helen and Barry didn’t return in any capacity in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, though they were briefly mentioned, but they haven’t been forgotten, especially Helen.

In the first I Know What You Did Last Summer trailer, Ray makes his first appearance during a town meeting with the authorities. As Ray demands they do something to stop the murders and violence, as this isn’t the first time something like this has happened in Southport, the trailer cuts to Helen’s grave, next to her sister’s (who was also killed by the fisherman). It’s a quick reference, but a very emotional one, as someone left Helen’s framed picture on her grave.

Sarah Michelle Gellar Turned Down A Role In 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer

Don’t Expect To See Sarah Michelle Gellar In The I Know What You Did Last Summer Sequel

Unsurprisingly, Sarah Michelle Gellar isn’t part of the cast of the new I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t offered the chance to be a part of it. Speaking to ET in February 2023, Gellar shared her excitement over the new I Know What You Did Last Summer ​​​​​​movie, especially as Robinson is one of her closest friends, and revealed Robinson had toyed with the idea of having her appear again as Helen. However, Gellar reminded her that Helen is truly ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, so there’s no way to write something for a ᴅᴇᴀᴅ character.

In an interview with People in October 2024 (via ᴅᴇᴀᴅline), Gellar confirmed once more that she wouldn’t return as Helen in the new I Know What You Did Last Summer movie because her character is ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. However, she jokingly added that her job in the movie is “continuity”, as she would tell Robinson what happened in the previous movies and what didn’t. In the end, Helen’s grave might be the only way Helen “is back” in the new I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel.

I Know What You Did Last Summer’s Helen Reference Is A Reminder Of Why Sarah Michelle Gellar Shouldn’t Return

R.I.P. Helen

As fun as it would be to have Sarah Michelle Gellar back in I Know What You Did Last Summer with Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt, she made the right decision in not returning. As Gellar said many times, Helen is ᴅᴇᴀᴅ – and she’s really, truly ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. The brief Helen reference in the first I Know What You Did Last Summer trailer confirms this, and reminds the audience why Gellar shouldn’t return, as there really isn’t a way in which Helen could be brought back.

Helen’s return would retcon the first movie, and bringing her back in visions (in the style of the Scream reboot movies) has other issues, such as de-aging and probably even stepping into supernatural and unbelievable territory. Sarah Michelle Gellar turning down returning as Helen in I Know What You Did Last Summer speaks volumes about how professional she is and how much she respects the movies, as she knows Helen is ᴅᴇᴀᴅ and can’t be brought back.

Source: ET, People (via ᴅᴇᴀᴅline)