Sarah Michelle Gellar confirms she won’t return for ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ sequel

Sarah Michelle Gellar, known for her iconic roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I Know What You Did Last Summer, has confirmed she will not reprise her character Helen Shivers in the upcoming sequel to the 1997 slasher film. In an interview with People, Gellar explained, “I am dead,” referring to her character’s fate in the original movie.

Fans of the cult classic horror series had speculated whether Gellar might make an appearance in the sequel, given the involvement of her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., who will reprise his role as Ray Bronson. However, Gellar made it clear that she will not be returning, although she joked about having an “unofficial” role in the project as a continuity consultant due to her close relationship with the film’s director, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.

“My best friend [Jennifer Kaytin Robinson] is directing it, so we joke that I have an unofficial job,” Gellar shared. “I’m always the one telling her, ‘Well, that would happen, or that wouldn’t happen with those characters,’ so I do have kind of an unofficial job title.”

The I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel, set to be directed by Robinson and co-written by Sam Lansky and Leah McKendrick, is slated for release on July 18, 2025. While plot details remain under wraps, the cast includes new faces such as Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, and Jonah Hauer-King. The original 1997 film, which starred Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Sarah Michelle Gellar, has become a beloved part of 90s horror nostalgia.