Lola Tung and Nicholas Chavez Cut from Slasher Sequel ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’

LOS ANGELES, California — Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson has confirmed that actors Lola Tung and Nicholas Alexander Chavez will not appear in the upcoming slasher sequel, ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer,’ set to release on July 18. Despite filming a scene intended to be the movie’s opening, their performances were cut from the final edit.

Robinson explained to PEOPLE that the scene, while well-executed, did not fit within the overall structure of the film. ‘In every movie, it’s best-laid plans, and then you edit and put it together… this is a fantastic scene. But it doesn’t fit in the movie,’ she stated. ‘It had nothing to do with Lola and Nicholas — they are both so fantastic.’ Robinson expressed a desire to work with them again after praising their effort during filming.

The scene was planned to be the opener, but the director mentioned that cutting it was a tough decision. ‘It sucks because you don’t want to do that to those actors,’ Robinson said, adding that she loved their performances.

Originally cast back in November 2024, Tung gained recognition for her role in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty,’ and Chavez is known for his performance in ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.’ In previous interviews, Chavez revealed that he was unfamiliar with the original ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ films before being approached for the project. He recounted watching the 1997 classic and enjoying it thoroughly.

The upcoming movie follows a group of friends who, after causing a deadly car accident, uncover a dark secret a year later as they are pursued for revenge.

Robinson hinted at the possibility of Tung and Chavez appearing in future projects, stating, ‘Maybe they’ll make the sequel.’

While fans are disappointed about the cuts, they can still look forward to the film, which stars Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Sarah Pidgeon, Jonah Hauer-King, and Tyriq Withers, along with original cast members Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., who reprise their roles from the original film.