The 1997 horror filmI Know What You Did Last Summermay be corny, but it’s still a fairly brutal slasher with memorable death scenes, a recognizable killer, and a story filled with twists and turns. Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ray Bronson (Freddie Prince Jr.) have a memorable romance that may be melodramatic at times, but they truly care about each other and share a meaningful history. Along with their best friends Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Geller) and Barry Cox (Ryan Phillippe), the couple goes for a ride the night of their high school graduation and accidentally run over someone. They cover up his death and realize that they are being haunted and stalked one year later.
With several characters dying at the hands of Ben Willis (Muse Watson), and given the characters' quest to find out who knows their secret, what happens to Julie and Ray at the end ofI Know What You Did Last Summer? Do they manage to fight back and survive, or do they get killed?
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Julie And Ray’s Fates Are Ambiguous At The End Of I Know What You Did Last Summer
There is always hope for ahorror movie ending that is satisfying. The end ofI Know What You Did Last Summercould be interpreted one of two ways: Julie and Ray are killed, or they survive. The final scene sees Julie taking a shower at her college, and it seems like she is able to move on from the terrifying experiences that she has had. She sees writing on the mirror that says “I still know,” which is definitely unnerving, and then someone reaches out and grabs her. It seems like Ben Willis has found Julie and murdered her, but because there is acheesyI Know What You Did Last Summersequel, it’s clear that Julie is still alive.
However, Ray’s fate is definitely left open, as there is no explanation for what happens to him. If there wasn’t a sequel, it would be possible to think that, now that Ben Willis has killed Helen and Barry, he would murder Julie and then find Ray to kill him as well. But since there is a sequel, it makes sense not to include any resolution on Ray’s character arc.
How The Movie’s Ending Leads Into The Sequel
Both Julie and Ray are alive inI Still Know What You Did Last Summerand they go on a trip to the Bahamas along with Julie’s best friend Karla Wilson (Brandy) and Karla’s boyfriend Tyrell Martin (Mekhi Phifer). Julie and Ray had a sweet and happy relationship in the first movie before the car accident, and now, they still care about each other but are having a tougher time. Julie is ahorror movie final girldealing with the trauma of watching Ben Willis kill her friends, and she still misses and grieves her good pal Helen. Ray does his best to help her through, but this stress takes a toll on their love story.
While it seems like Julie dies at the end ofI Know What You Did Last Summer, the fact that there is a sequel changes the conclusion of the first film. It’s possible to say that Ben attacks Julie but she fights back and gets away. While this might be a little bit of a shaky explanation, Julie does attempt to be strong and powerful and shows confidence when she yells “What are you waiting for?” which is one of the mostmemorable ’90s horror movie quotes.
What Could Julie And Ray Do In The Legacy Sequel?
Now that there is aI Know What You Did Last Summersequel in development, there’s the question of whether Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prince Jr. would reprise their roles. The ending ofI Still Know What You Did Last Summersuggests that they really do die this time, as they are happily committed to each other and living in a house. Julie walks into the bedroom and sees a teddy bear moving, which is strange and unnerving, and she is pulled under the bed. It’s easy to assume they are unable to fight back.
However, if they return to the legacy sequel, then the franchise would have to find a reason why they didn’t actually perish. This is something that many horror franchises do, and it would be fine since audiences want to see these beloved characters again. Perhaps Julie and Ray are now married and have a family, and their happy, quiet life is ruined once again by Ben Willis.
Sarah Michelle Geller Won’t Return To The Legacy Sequel
Sarah Michelle Geller shared that she wouldn’t be able to return to the legacy sequel ofI Know What You Did Last Summeras she dies in the first movie. The actor shared in an interview withEntertainment Tonight, “As I explained to Jennifer, I am dead. I am dead dead. On ice. She’s like, ‘Are you sure you’re dead dead?’ I’m like, ‘It’s soap-dish dead. I don’t have a head! you’re able to’t write for someone that doesn’t have a head. I’m dead.'”
While theAmazonIKWYDLSseries disappointed fansof the original movie, there is definitely excitement over the idea of a legacy sequel. While it’s a shame not to see Geller again, as Helen is a strong and hilarious character, it would be interesting to see Julie and Ray again, with hopefully some fresh new characters who are just as memorable.
