‘It is Good to Know a Secret’ (Unique)

Warning: This submit incorporates spoilers for the brand new I Know What You Did Final Summer season sequel, in theaters now.

Sarah Michelle Gellar discovered a approach to revisit her I Know What You Did Final Summer season character within the new sequel, regardless of having met her demise within the 1997 unique.

Gellar, 48, claimed in October 2024 that she was not returning for the most recent installment, which is directed by her real-life good friend, Do Revenge director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. “I’m lifeless,” she defined, referring to her character Helen Shivers’ brutal loss of life by the hands of the Fisherman killer.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress even acquired in a bit hassle when she posted a photograph from the movie’s set in Australia, the place husband Freddie Prinze Jr. was filming his return as Ray within the sequel. Gellar once more denied she would pop up on display.

Shock — Gellar does have a cameo within the movie. When Madelyn Cline’s character Danica falls asleep on the police station, she has a dream wherein Shivers taunts her within the full Croaker Queen costume.

Director Robinson tells PEOPLE, “As a brilliant fan of this franchise, I used to be by no means not going to place Helen Shivers within the film. And I did not lie — she is lifeless.”

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“We needed to convey Madelyn and Sarah collectively on display, and I am so excited in regards to the outcomes. I really feel prefer it’s simply so enjoyable,” says the filmmaker. “We recreated the Croaker Queen crown. That’s an actual reproduction of the crown from the unique film. I actually went for it in making an attempt to create this David Lynch-y Helen Shivers dream sequence.”

Returning producer Neal H. Moritz, who labored with Gellar on the 1997 movie and 1999’s Merciless Intentions, says Gellar at all times “informed me, ‘I’m by no means coming again. I am by no means coming again.’ ” However “then she is aware of [director] Jenn very effectively and so they talked about it.”

“I believe the concept the way in which we had been in a position to convey her again with out bringing her alive was nice,” he says. “I believe loads of instances, and I have been responsible of it earlier than, is we convey too many lifeless folks again. However we may convey her again with out making her alive, which is why I revered that.”

Prinze, 49, clearly “knew from soar” the cameo was going to occur, since he is married to Gellar. (The pair, additionally costars from the Scooby-Doo movies, wed in 2002 and share two youngsters.)

“We had been all actually excited for audiences to get to see that and get a bit bit of additional love that they weren’t anticipating,” he says.

“It is good to know a secret, and to know the way well-received it’ll be, months and months earlier than it ever goes on the market. To listen to the response that individuals have had, as a result of I do know another people who have seen it, they’re all like, ‘Oh, my God, you did not inform me! That was the most effective.’ I am like, ‘Yeah, it was the most effective one. Everyone at all times loves her.’ To present folks one other style of that, I simply assume was superior. I am glad everybody made it occur.”

After attending the Los Angeles premiere’s pink carpet, Gellar wrote on Instagram, “Nonetheless can’t imagine …… years later (no have to date myself) I acquired to stroll the pink carpet at one other premiere of @ikwydlsmovie Nonetheless starring essentially the most good-looking man I do know @realfreddieprinze however this time directed by my finest good friend @jennkaytin and written by Jenn and @samlansky. I like this film sooooo a lot and this solid.”

I Know What You Did Final Summer season is in theaters now.