Missing in Action: Why Lola Tung and Nicholas Alexander Chavez Won't Appear in 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' Reboot

The eagerly awaited reboot of I Know What You Did Last Summer hits theaters on July 18, promising all the thrills of a summer scream-fest, including a hook-wielding killer and a haunting Fourth of July secret.

The film boasts a star-studded cast featuring Outer Banks' Madelyn Cline, The Little Mermaid's Jonah Hauer-King, Generation's Chase Sui Wonders, Tiny Beautiful Things star Sarah Pidgeon and newcomer Tyriq Withers. However, fans are left wondering about the absence of two notable actors from the lineup: Lola Tung and Nicholas Alexander Chavez.

Initially, Tung and Chavez were slated to join the film, with their casting announced back in November 2024 alongside Austin Nichols and Gabbriette Bechtel. So, what led to their unexpected exit?

Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson revealed that the two actors filmed what was intended to be the opening scene, but unfortunately, the footage didn't make the final cut. "It happens. You shoot something and, when you watch the scene, it doesn't fit in the film," Robinson told Variety. "It didn't work within the film that we were creating. And when you're trying to make something that's bold, sometimes that happens."

Importantly, the decision to cut the scenes had nothing to do with their performances. "They are both so fantastic. I really would love to work with them again. I loved working with them. They did a fabulous job," Robinson stated in another interview with People. "But in the larger tapestry of the film, it just didn't fit. It sucks because you don't want to do that to those actors. And it sucks when you love something as a scene but that scene just doesn't work in the final cut of the film."

Despite the situation, crew dynamics remain positive. "Everybody was so professional about it. They're so sweet, so lovely. They totally got it," Robinson expressed. "Maybe they'll make the sequel."

Chavez shared his enthusiasm for the project, even admitting he was unfamiliar with the franchise before signing on. "All of the horror fans are going to come for me as soon as they see this [interview], but I had no idea what I Know What You Did Last Summer was before they came to me with the idea," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "So I got back on the phone and I talked to the director, Jen, and I was listening to her pitch… and I was like, 'Yeah.' I was just so excited. So I flew down to Australia and we filmed the thing. God, I just had a really great time."

The new film follows a group of high school friends whose Fourth of July celebration turns deadly as they cause a fatal car crash and vow to keep it a secret. A year later, however, someone knows their secret and starts taking them out one by one. The sequel also features original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprising their roles as Julie James and Ray Bronson, who survived a similar nightmare back in 1997 and again in the Bahamas in the 1998 sequel.

While fans may be disappointed that Tung and Chavez won't be seen on screen this time around, Love Hewitt's hint at the possibility of a sequel keeps hope alive: "Maybe they'll make the sequel."