THE horror The genre continues to ride the wave of sequels and legacy reboots through which some of the biggest franchises have been brought back to life – so it's not all that surprising that two unlikely horror franchises are also returning. The film industry has benefited greatly from reboots and legacy sequels in recent years, particularly in the horror genre, even if not all of them have been successful. Franchises like The Exorcist and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre came back with a film that didn't perform well, while others like it Friday the 13th they continue to face many challenges that prevent them from returning.
Other horror franchises have benefited greatly from this trend, as with Halloween and Screamwhile others will have a new chance, as is the case of The Exorcist. All of these franchises are some of the most successful, popular, and profitable in the genre, so it was even expected that they would be rebooted at some point. Now, two unlikely horror franchises are also returning with new films, and while they're not ones that should be rebooted, at this point I'm not surprised and it actually makes a lot of sense.
I Know What You Did Last Summer and Final Destination is Getting Reboots/Sequels
Two of the most popular Slasher franchises are being revived
These unlikely horror franchises are I know what you did last summer and Final destination. First is Final destinationwhich began in 2000 with the film of the same name directed by James Wong. Final destination follows Alex Browning (Devon Sawa), a high school student who has a vivid, catastrophic vision aboard a plane that will explode in mid-air, killing him and the rest. Alex, a teacher and other colleagues are removed from the plane and, minutes later, it explodes. However, as everyone is supposed to be on the plane and die, they get in the way of Death's plan and start dying under strange circumstances.
Despite receiving negative reviews, Final destination It was a box office success and spawned a franchise with four sequelsall of them following a new group of survivors trying to avoid Death's seemingly inevitable plan. Final Destination 5 was released in 2011 and considered the final chapter in the franchise, but in 2019, a new film was announced in development. After going through different writers and more, the sixth Final destination film, titled Final Destination: Bloodlinesfound its directors in Zach Lipovsky and Adam Steinwritten by Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor.
It was also said that Bloodlines will explore the story of William Bludworth, and Tony Todd is the only character from previous Final Destination films to return in the new film.
What is known about the history of Final Destination: Bloodlines is that it won't follow the franchise's formula of a group of survivors trying to cheat death, and will focus on first responders and emergency workerswho already know death, but who will now be on its way. It was also said that Bloodlines will explore the story of William Bludworth, and Tony Todd is the only character from the past Final destination films to return in the new film. At the time of writing, Final Destination: Bloodlines is scheduled for release on May 16, 2025.
The franchise of I know what you did last summer began in 1973 with Lois Duncan's novel of the same name, which was loosely adapted into the 1997 horror we all know and love (or, at least, I love). I know what you did last summer follows friends Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt), Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Barry Cox (Ryan Phillippe), who accidentally run over a man. Believing him to be dead, they throw his body into the water, but he wakes up just before falling and tries to attack them.
Upon leaving him to drown, the group vows never to discuss what happened, but a year later, they begin to receive threatening letters from someone who claims to know what they did. The group also begins to be chased by a mysterious man in a black fisherman's coat and wielding a hook, with which he kills his victims. I know what you did last summer received mixed reviews but was a box office successgranting it a direct sequel in 1998, titled I still know what you did last summera direct-to-video standalone sequel in 2006 and a TV adaptation in 2021.
The new I know what you did last summer the film was announced to be in development in early 2023, with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson directing and Sam Lansky and Robinson writing the script. Plot details about the new I know what you did last summer The film is unknown, but it is confirmed that it is a sequel to the second film and social media will be taken into account in the story. The new cast of I know what you did last summer includes Jonah Hauer-King, Billy Campbell, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Madelyn Cline, Austin Nichols, Gabbriette, Chase Sui Wonders, Sarah Pidgeon and Tyriq Withers.
I know what you did last summer will also have its main characters back, such as Prinze Jr. and Hewitt are confirmed to return as Ray and Julieand is currently scheduled for release on July 18, 2025. It remains to be seen whether Brandy will also reprise her role as Karla, the other survivor from the second film, and also how big Prinze Jr. and Hewitt's roles will be now that there is a new generation of characters involved.
Both horror franchises are unlikely choices to be rebooted
Anything is possible in the horror genre
I know what you did last summer and Final destination are unlikely choices for reboots for different reasons. I know what you did last summer wasn't the best slasher of the 1990s and even Duncan herself criticized this, as she made many changes to her novel, mainly to turn it into a horror film. As mentioned above, the film was not a critical success, but its popularity with general audiences was what led to its sequel being greenlit, but the second film failed to continue the franchise.
I don't think I need to mention how bad the 2006 direct-to-video standalone sequel, I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer, and the 2021 TV show were.
I still know what you did last summer had an even worse critical reception and was a box office failure, ending the theatrical branch of the franchise – and I don't think I need to mention how bad the 2006 standalone direct-to-video sequel was, I will always know what you did last summerand the 2021 TV show were. Due to the critical reception of all entries in the I know what you did last summer franchise and its reputation as a cheesy teen horror saga, it's not a franchise anyone would think would be picked up for a reboot with a legacy sequel.
On the other hand, Final destination It's an unlikely choice because it already has a lot of sequels.. Sure, the quality of most of the sequels was much lower than the first film, but they're still pretty good films. Final destination already had a supposed final chapter with The final destination in 2009, but then came Final Destination 5However, if we are talking about chronological order, The final destination it would be the last film in the saga, as the fifth film was a surprise prequel.
I wouldn't have expected Final destination to get a sixth film more than a decade after the fifth film, but luckily, the franchise still has an audience that is now excited about a new story. What will be exciting with these two projects is how they will connect to the previous films and any new additions they bring to their respective franchises.
Horror reboots are easy wins for Hollywood studios
Studios have taken note of recent horror reboots
What makes me not surprised by this? I know what you did last summer and Final destination are coming back with new films is that horror reboots have been a win for the studios, regardless of their success. Nostalgia is an important factor and can be quite profitabletherefore, even if the film is bad, it is still very likely to be a box office success, thanks to the public's curiosity and desire to relive the past in some way. Furthermore, the success of other rebooted franchises shows the best way to revive these worlds and not die trying, as is the case with Scream.
It wouldn't surprise me if other smaller and perhaps not very successful horror franchises were brought back.
ScreamThe reboot was successful in that it was more of a soft reboot with a younger cast and legacy characters, and it's the model that studios have tried to follow with other reboots. This and more make horror reboots big business for Hollywood, so it wouldn't surprise me if other, smaller and perhaps not very successful ones horror franchises are brought back if I know what you did last summer 4 and Final Destination: Bloodlines be successful.