Overview

• The film’s Los Angeles world premiere on July 14 drew overwhelmingly positive responses from early viewers praising its blend of nostalgia and fresh scares.
• Critics have been divided, with some applauding its respectful callbacks to the 1997 original and others critiquing its reliance on jump scares and fan service.
• Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. return as Julie James and Ray Bronson alongside newcomers Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers and Sarah Pidgeon.
• Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and co-writer Sam Lansky balance ’90s-style suspense with modern horror elements and an ensemble-driven storyline.
• Sony Pictures will open the sequel nationwide on July 18, leveraging strong social media buzz and nostalgia-driven marketing ahead of its release.