You remember the slicker. That heavy, yellow fisherman’s raincoat. The rhythmic clack-clack-clack of a hook dragging against a wooden pier. If you grew up in the late '90s, Jennifer Love Hewitt screaming into the rainy void was basically a rite of passage.
Finding movies similar to I Know What You Did Last Summer isn't just about finding another slasher. It’s about that specific brand of "pretty people with ugly secrets" that dominated the post-Scream era. You want the guilt. You want the small-town paranoia. Honestly, you probably want a killer who’s slightly more grounded than a supernatural teleporting zombie.
The 1997 classic, written by Kevin Williamson, hit a nerve because it tapped into something we all fear: the past coming back to bite us. Or hook us. Whatever.
The Most Obvious (But Necessary) Picks
If you haven't seen Urban Legend (1998), stop what you're doing. It is the closest cousin to the "Summer" vibe you’ll ever find. It’s got a young Jared Leto, a campus setting, and a killer who recreates folklore-style murders.
Think about the "Pop Rocks and Soda" or the "Killer in the Backseat" stories. This movie takes those and turns them into a bloodbath. It feels glossy, it’s got that New England collegiate aesthetic, and the mystery actually keeps you guessing until the final act.
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Then there’s Scream (1996). I know, I know—everyone’s seen it. But if you’re looking for the blueprint, this is it. Kevin Williamson wrote both, and you can see the DNA everywhere. The fast-paced dialogue, the self-awareness, and the way the town of Woodsboro feels like a character itself.
The "We Covered Up a Death" Subgenre
This is the specific "secret" niche. You want movies where a group of friends makes a pact of silence that eventually gets them killed.
Sorority Row (2009)
While it’s a remake of a much older 1980s film, the 2009 version is pure I Know What You Did Last Summer energy. A prank goes wrong—shocking, I know—and someone dies. The sisters dump the body in a mine shaft and agree to never speak of it.
Flash forward to graduation, and a hooded figure starts picking them off with a modified tire iron. It’s meaner than the 90s flicks, but the structure is almost identical.
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Joy Ride (2001)
This one is a bit more of a road-thriller, but it hits those same notes of "we did something stupid and now we’re being hunted." Paul Walker and Steve Zahn play brothers who play a prank on a trucker over a CB radio.
Mistake. Huge mistake.
The trucker, known only as "Rusty Nail," becomes a relentless, faceless force of nature. It’s got that same isolated, "nowhere to run" feeling that made the Southport setting in Summer so claustrophobic.
The Forgotten Gems of 1998
1998 was a weird, glorious year for teen horror. It felt like every three months, a new group of WB stars was being chased through a dark hallway.
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- The Faculty: This is Robert Rodriguez doing Invasion of the Body Snatchers but at a high school. It’s got Josh Hartnett and Elijah Wood. The mystery isn't "who is the killer" but "who is an alien." The paranoia is top-tier.
- Disturbing Behavior: James Marsden moves to a town where the "Blue Ribbons" (the perfect kids) are actually being lobotomized by the school psychiatrist. It’s moody, it’s got a great soundtrack, and Katie Holmes plays a rebellious outcast.
- Cherry Falls: Brittany Murphy stars in this one, which flips the slasher script. Instead of the killer targeting people who have sex, this killer only targets virgins. It’s a bizarre, stylish little movie that deserves way more love than it gets.
Why We Keep Going Back to This Era
There’s a certain comfort in the formula. We like seeing characters who think they’re smarter than they are get outmaneuvered by a simple hook or a mask.
The "accidental death" trope works because it’s relatable. Most of us haven't been chased by a dream demon like Freddy Krueger, but most of us have been in a car with friends where someone was driving a little too fast or not paying enough attention. That "it could happen to me" element is what makes the subgenre stick.
Modern Takes for the 2020s
If you’ve exhausted the 90s catalog, look at Fear Street Part One: 1994 on Netflix. It’s a direct love letter to the era. It captures the mall culture, the grittiness, and the "teenagers against the world" vibe perfectly.
Also, don't sleep on There’s Someone Inside Your House. It’s a more recent Netflix slasher that deals with a killer exposing the deepest, darkest secrets of high school students before killing them. It’s basically I Know What You Did Last Summer but with TikTok and modern social anxiety.
Actionable Tips for Your Next Watch Party
If you're planning a marathon of movies similar to I Know What You Did Last Summer, here is how to curate the best experience:
- Start with the "Vibe" setter: Watch Scream or Urban Legend first to establish the late-90s tone.
- Move to the "Secret" theme: Follow up with Sorority Row or the original Prom Night (1980), which also features a killer seeking revenge for a childhood accident.
- Check out the TV series: Most people forget there was an I Know What You Did Last Summer TV show on Amazon Prime a few years back. It’s a bit more "Euphoria-meets-slasher," but it’s worth a binge if you want more of that specific storyline.
- Look for the "Hook": If you want a literal hook-handed killer, check out the original Candyman (1992). It’s much more high-brow and gothic, but the dread is unmatched.
The beauty of this genre is its simplicity. You don't need a massive budget or complex CGI. All you need is a dark road, a guilty conscience, and a killer who is patient enough to wait exactly one year to start their revenge tour.