I Know What You’re Doing This Summer

Pick the popcorn up off the floor, emerge from under the blanket, and turn the lights back on: horror is officially back, bigger, bloodier, and bolder than ever.

The genre’s latest resurrection comes to audiences in the form of the revival of I Know What You Did Last Summer (IKWYDLS), the slasher franchise which first hooked audiences in 1997. Now, nearly three decades later – after sequels, a direct-to-video oddity, and a short-lived TV reboot: the Fisherman is back.

IKWYDLS began as a novel by Lois Duncan in 1973, it was a slow-burn mystery. By 1997, it had been refined into a bloody teen slasher starring the crème de la crème of ‘90s Hollywood. The new 2025 version? A love letter to the original, with legacy cast cameos and a campy update that doesn’t take itself too seriously, perfect for a summer night at the cinema.

In the UK box office, horror films like Sinners, Final Destination: Bloodlines, and 28 Years Later have already raked in over £41.3m: outpacing last year’s full genre tally.

Additionally, in North America, the horror genre now accounts for 17% of ticket sales, an increase from 4% a decade ago. This is notable for a genre once deemed too niche and too disposable. But why are we all running to cinemas to get spooked?

Well, part of it is timing: since the pandemic, audiences have been craving community – and horror delivers. It’s the genre where screams are contagious and jumping in your seat next to a stranger is totally acceptable. It’s cathartic. It’s fun. It’s (weirdly) comforting.

Then there’s the content. 2025 isn’t just about sequels, as welcome as they are. We’ve also had brand new entries like Companion, Heretic, and the indie darling: Clown in a Cornfield.

On the other end of the spectrum, 2025 has also brought a resurgence of arthouse horror, like The Substance and The Ugly Stepsister. Films like these prioritise psychological depth and artistic style rather than gore and jump scares; these films no better nor more valuable than the typical, axe-wielding nature of the horror in IKWYDLS, but they do give the genre more recognition (tending to be nominated for major awards). With rising stars (like Sophie Thatcher, Alfie Williams, and Madelyn Cline), microbudgets, and viral marketing (shout-out to HorrorTok), horror has become a place for both fresh ideas and big box office.

So this summer, don’t shy away from horror. Head to the cinema. Hold your breath. Scream out loud. Throw your popcorn over a stranger.