In this new iteration, serving as a reboot of sorts, it follows a new group of friends who, after a tragic accident, find themselves hunted by a mysterious, hook-wielding killer. The film also connected directly to the original movies by bringing back Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. as their characters, Julie James and Ray Bronson. The new cast included Outer Banks star Madelyn Cline alongside Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, and Sarah Pidgeon.
The movie, directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, was a throwback to the late ’90s slasher craze. It leaned into the franchise’s established formula of suspense, mystery, and gory kills, but with a modern twist.
With a reported budget of around $17 million, the film grossed over $64 million worldwide. Not great, but not bad either. Reviews were also mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, critics gave the film a score of 38%, with the consensus that it relied too heavily on nostalgia without creating a compelling story of its own. Audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes and elsewhere were significantly more positive at 69%, indicating that fans found it to be a fun, campy, and enjoyable slasher. The sentiment among viewers praised the film’s shocking twists, the chemistry of the new cast, and its overall faithfulness to the spirit of the original.
