‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Reboot Sets Up a New Generation of Stars!

Chase Sui Wonders leads a fresh-faced cast in this slick, coastal reboot that turns the classic slasher into a glossy Gen-Z thriller. With luxe beach parties, cryptic texts, and a vibe that screams "Euphoria" meets Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) is a modern Summer horror flick. It has breakout performances, killer fashion, and enough plot twists to keep you guessing who’s next.

So how did this ensemble come together? Let’s dive into the careers thus far and the future projects of Gen-Z royalty Madelyn Cline and Chase Sui Wonders, as well as rising stars Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, and Sarah Pidgeon, and examine why they made such a killer reboot crew!

If you don’t know the IKWYDLS lore, here’s the rundown. Both films follow a group of young adults dealing with the aftermath of causing an automobile accident that led to the death of a stranger. Both on rocky seaside cliffs, they decide to pretend they were never at the scene, leaving the stranger to die. A year later, a group member gets a note that reads “I know what you did last summer.” Creepy, right? What follows is a killing spree, perpetrated by a slicker-wearing, hook-wielding killer known as “The Fisherman”. The unknown slayer wants revenge for the crime that our central crew got away with -- and they always get it. 

1. Chase Sui Wonders: The Indie It Girl Finally Goes Mainstream 

Born in Detroit and a Harvard grad (slay queen), Chase Sui Wonders got her start as a writer before stepping in front of the camera. She broke through in HBO Max’s "Generation" and earned major indie cred with her emotional turn in the hilarious slasher Bodies Bodies Bodies, where she delivered both tension and laughs amongst the competitive ensemble of well-known young stars. She brought that manic energy to Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s Hollywood satire "The Studio" (streaming now on Apple TV+ and up for multiple Emmys this year) as Rogen’s recently promoted assistant-turned-fiery studio executive. 

Her casting as the lead in IKWYDLS signals a new phase for the actress, one where her wry, observational style gets channeled into a classic Scream Queen arc. She brings a lived-in intelligence to the role, balancing guilt with dry humor and sex appeal. Wonders will next appear in Gregg Araki’s sexy dramedy I Want Your Sex alongside Olivia Wilde, Charli XCX, and rising star Cooper Hoffman. 

2. Madelyn Cline: From "Outer Banks" Princess to Croaker Queen  

Raised in South Carolina, Madelyn Cline began her career in regional modeling before making the move to Los Angeles in her teens. She had small roles in big hits like "Stranger Things" and "The Originals" before getting her big break as Sarah Cameron in Netflix’s "Outer Banks", where she blended her cool-girl charisma with a grounded vulnerability. Her scene-stealing turn in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out follow-up, Glass Onion, proved she could hold her own in an ensemble packed with Oscar nominees. 

Cline was cast in IKWYDLS for her magnetic screen presence and for her ability to fuse humor with horror. She nails the chaotic bestie role, giving us fashion, attitude, and a few surprisingly emotional beats. Next, she’ll be appearing in The Map That Leads to You, a rom-dram pairing her with "Riverdale" alum KJ Apa. 

3. Jonah Hauer-King: From Swoon-Worthy Disney Prince to Doomed Everyman

A London native and Cambridge alum, Jonah Hauer-King made his acting debut in British dramas before heading to the States for Hollywood projects. He gained wide recognition playing Laurie in the BBC’s adaptation of Little Women, and, most recently, portrayed and flexed his singing muscles as Prince Eric in Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid, starring incredible talent Halle Bailey.

In IKWYDLS, he plays the group’s level-headed emotional anchor, the guy who you want to believe in, even when his morals falter. His clean-cut sincerity makes him not only an effective red herring but a welcome foil to edgier characters, and the could-be romantic partner of Sui Wonder’s character, Ava. Next up, he’s set to star in thriller/drama film A House of Dynamite alongside Kaitlyn Dever and Rebecca Ferguson. Hauer-King could be a Scream King in the making!

4. Tyriq Withers: The Breakout You Didn’t See Coming 

Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Tyriq Withers started on YouTube and TikTok before transitioning into acting. A former University of Florida football player, he trained in performance and quickly turned heads with roles in "Atlanta" and "The Wonder Years" reboot.

Withers shines in IKWYDLS as the unpredictable livewire of the group. His mix of swagger, self-awareness, and moments of emotional depth makes him the film’s most surprising and watchable performance. Keep your eye on him. He’s starring in Him, a mysterious new football thriller produced by Jordan Peele set to premiere this Fall. The film looks like The Substance for jocks. 

Sarah Pidgeon: Prestige Drama to Coastal Chaos

Sarah Pidgeon grew up in Michigan and studied at Carnegie Mellon before earning acclaim in Amazon’s "The Wilds" where she played Leah, a paranoid, hyper-intense teen stranded on a mysterious island. She followed that up with "Tiny Beautiful Things", holding her own opposite Kathryn Hahn in a deeply emotional, angsty role.

In IKWYDLS, Pidgeon plays the wild card, alternately unhinged and razor-sharp. Her performance adds serious depth and tension, and she nails the moment when suspicion turns inward. Coming soon, she’ll appear in Ryan Murphy’s "American Love Story" as the iconic, tragic Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. 

The original 1997 cast of I Know What You Did Last Summer is hard to beat. It’s filled to the brim with ‘90s royalty. Jennifer Love Hewitt leads the cast with vulnerability and independence. Freddie Prinze Jr. is the cast’s loveable everyman. Sarah Michelle Gellar is the beautiful but not-vapid Croaker Queen. And Ryan Phillippe is the brash heartthrob. The quartet works great together, and their archetypes are balanced and kinetic. However, they are, for the most part, archetypes.

The revamp melds these archetypes together, and no one is allowed to be just the brazen one, and no one is wholly innocent. Chase Sui Wonders is the heart of the film, our “final girl”, and her deep guilt is perfectly balanced with intense sarcasm. Madelyn Cline gets to flex her comedy chops after her role in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and gives the Gen-Z flavor to the film. While Jonah Hauer-King might not be as memorable as Prinze Jr. in the everyman role, Tyriq Withers is the clear standout of the film, his comedic timing and gravitas a welcome addition to the full douche that was Phillippe’s Barry. While we're not sure which cast wins (and we're admittedly blinded by nostalgia for those ‘90s icons), both groups are perfectly suited to their respective periods, and are likable enough to make us hate their deaths. 

What makes this ensemble work isn’t just their rising-star energy; it’s how naturally they interact, working off each other’s comedic and dramatic chops with ease and exuberance. The original cast of IKWYDLS perfectly filled their clear-cut archetypes, but this version leans more into ambiguity. Everyone’s guilty, everyone’s a suspect, and every performance feels a little more layered and exciting than you'd expect from a teen slasher. More than anything, these actors reflect a shift in what it means to be a young star today. They're not just faces, they're multi-hyphenates with smart agents, indie cred, and real acting chops. This reboot gives us a cast we want to follow long after the blood dries.