Following Hollywood's trend of legacy sequels, we now have a new I Know What You Did Last Summer - a reboot/sequel to the 1997 slasher-thriller of the same name. While featuring a new story with new characters in the same setting, the film also serves as a continuation of the original 1997 movie and its 1998 sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Movie Review: A Nostalgic Slasher Reboot That Swaps Scariness for Silliness!

Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, the new film stars Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers and Sarah Pidgeon as the main leads, with Freddie Prinze Jr and Jennifer Love Hewitt reprising their roles from the original films. The plot follows a new series of murders in Southport after a group of friends are involved in an accident eerily similar to the one from 1997.

As the new I Know What You Did Last Summer hits cinemas on July 18, let's revisit the original classic and discuss the two Hindi remakes it inspired.

The Original 1997 Film

Directed by Jim Gillespie and written by Kevin Williamson (Scream), I Know What You Did Last Summer became a defining teen horror film of the late 1990s. Inspired by the 1973 novel, the movie follows four friends - Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr), Helen (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Barry (Ryan Phillippe) - who accidentally hit a pedestrian while driving home from a party and cover up the crime. A year later, they receive the chilling note: "I know what you did last summer." Soon, a hook-wielding killer stalks them, seeking revenge.

Watch the Trailer of 'I Know What You Did Last Summer':

With its suspenseful atmosphere, sharp kills and twist-filled plot, the film became a box office hit, grossing over USD 125 million worldwide against a USD 17 million budget. It spawned two sequels: I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) and the poorly received I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006). While the sequels didn't match the original's impact, the 1997 film remains a cult favourite - though it never quite reached the same cultural status as Wes Craven's Scream from the same era.

The Bollywood Remakes

The original's popularity even inspired two Bollywood remakes in the same year - 2003.

Kucch Toh Hai

Before making musical hits like Murder and Barfi, Anurag Basu made his directorial debut with this romantic slasher (co-directed with Anil V Kumar). Produced by Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Productions, it starred Tusshar Kapoor, Esha Deol and Anita Hassanandani, with Rishi Kapoor in a rare negative role.

A Scene From 'Kucch Toh Hai'

While not a direct copy, the film merges Archie-esque romance with slasher elements. The killer's appearance and methods resemble the original's, and there's a similar fatal accident plot point. However, it focuses more on a love triangle between the leads. The soundtrack, including hits like "Ding Dong" and "Kya Pyaar Karoge Mujhse", was popular, though the film underperformed at the box office. It's currently available on Prime Video and JioHotstar. From Jaws to Evil Dead, 11 Lesser-Known Hindi Remakes of Cult Hollywood Horror Movies to Watch Purely for Guilty Pleasures!

Dhund: The Fog

Ekta Kapoor strikes again - albeit indirectly this time. After gaining popularity as Mihir Virani in her iconic TV soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Amar Upadhyay took a break from the series (being replaced by Ronit Roy) to focus on Bollywood. Unfortunately, he wound up starring in forgettable flops that effectively ended his film career.

One such misfire was this 2003 slasher thriller, released the same year as Kucch Toh Hai (it looks like Ekta and he didn't exchange notes on the similarity of their inspirations). Directed by the late Shyam Ramsay of the infamous Ramsay Brothers - synonymous with Bollywood's schlocky 70s-80s horror - Dhund: The Fog loosely adapted I Know What You Did Last Summer. The plot follows two couples stalked by a mysterious, cloak-wielding killer who uses what looks like a rake instead of a fishing hook as his murder weapon. The cast included Apurva Agnihotri, Aditi Govitrikar and Divya Palat, with a pre-iconic Irrfan Khan (sporting long hair) in a negative role.

A Scene From 'Dhund The Fog'

The film bombed spectacularly at the box office, though it's now available as a curious relic on YouTube.

While Bollywood never embraced slashers like Hollywood did - most attempts like Sssshhh... (a Scream remake featuring Tanishaa Mukerji's debut) being poorly received - these oddities remain fascinating for their sheer camp value.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 17, 2025 10:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).