I Know What You Did Last Summer‘s Rotten Tomatoes score has set a surprising franchise record. Co-written and directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, the latest film in the slasher franchise features a new group of friends who are targeted by another hook-wielding killer one year after they covered up a car accident in which they supposedly killed someone.

The I Know What You Did Last Summer cast is comprised almost entirely of franchise newcomers, including Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, Billy Campbell, and Austin Nichols. However, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. return to reprise their roles as Julie James and Ray Bronson, after appearing in the first two films.

Now, on the day of its theatrical release, I Know What You Did Last Summer has debuted with a 69% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie only has 100+ verified ratings at the time of writing, so its score will surely fluctuate over time. However, it only has to stay above 41% to beat the original movie for the franchise’s highest audience score:

What I Know What You Did Last Summer’s Rotten Tomatoes Scores Mean For The Movie

What Are Critics & Audiences Saying?

As opposed to its solid 69% audience score, its score from the critics is 38%, indicating largely negative reviews. For instance, in ScreenRant‘s I Know What You Did Last Summer review, Mary Kᴀssel calls it “a lazy update on a franchise that should have been long ᴅᴇᴀᴅ by now… The beloved campy horror franchise returns with a fun cast and tongue-in-cheek humor, but it never fully captures what made the original a hit.“

Overall, critics are calling the reboot loyal to the original, for better or worse, leaning heavily on nostalgia but struggling to establish its own unique or engaging idenтιтy. Though some are praising its slick style and fun energy, many are criticizing its lack of purpose beyond brand recognition, dull plot, and clichéd characters, calling it more forgettable than frightening.

Audience reviews are much more positive, praising the film’s nostalgic callbacks, shocking twists, and the cast’s chemistry, calling it a fun return to the slasher formula. However, some are still slamming its weak writing and shallow characters. While many fans appreciated the legacy cameos, just as many found it disappointing, dull, or simply unnecessary – a polarizing reboot built on mixed expectations.

Our Take On I Know What You Did Last Summer’s Rotten Tomatoes Scores

How Has This Slasher Franchise Survived?

Looking back at I Know What You Did Last Summer‘s Rotten Tomatoes scores, it’s a wonder that the slasher franchise has survived over the years. It doesn’t have a single Fresh score from the critics, and it didn’t have a single Fresh score from audiences either until the new movie. Even that is based on only 100+ verified ratings, and once more people see the new I Know What You Did Last Summer, that number seems bound to change for the worse.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes