Sarah Michelle Gellar says she won't return for 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' sequel ‘I am dead’

Sarah Michelle Gellar has clarified that she will not return for the upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel, stating that her character, Helen Shivers, was killed in the original 1997 film. In an interview with People, Gellar said, “I am dead,” confirming that her character’s fate prevents her from participating in the new installment of the franchise.

However, Gellar revealed that she will still play an unofficial role in the film behind the scenes. “My best friend [Jennifer Kaytin Robinson] is directing it, so we joke that I have an unofficial job, which is I am continuity,” Gellar explained, noting that she has been assisting Robinson with maintaining character consistency.

The new film will be directed by Robinson, and Freddie Prinze Jr., Gellar’s husband, is set to reprise his role from the original movie. The cast includes Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, and Sarah Pidgeon, among others. The plot details remain unknown, and the film is scheduled for release on July 18, 2025.

The original I Know What You Did Last Summer was a 1997 slasher film directed by Jim Gillespie and written by Kevin Williamson, based loosely on the novel by Lois Duncan. It starred Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Ryan Phillippe, and has since become a cult classic.