What would you do if someone knew your darkest secret—and wanted revenge? That’s the haunting question behind I Know What You Did Last Summer, the 1997 slasher film that turned guilt, lies, and teen horror into a cult favorite. Fans have debated the twist for years, but the truth about who the killer is in I Know What You Did Last Summer might surprise you if you’ve forgotten the details.
The Night That Started It All
It all begins with a terrible mistake. On the Fourth of July, four friends—Julie, Helen, Ray, and Barry—accidentally hit a man with their car while driving along a coastal road. Panicked and afraid of ruining their futures, they decide to dump the body into the ocean and swear to never speak of it again.
A year later, they each receive a mysterious note:
“I know what you did last summer.”
From there, their lives unravel one by one as they realize someone knows their secret—and is out for blood.
So… Who Is the Killer in I Know What You Did Last Summer?
The killer is Ben Willis, a fisherman with a dark past and a hook for a hand—literally.
Here’s how it all connects:
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The friends didn’t kill a random man.
The person they hit wasn’t just some unlucky pedestrian. It turns out Ben Willis had just murdered a young man named David Egan, who had accidentally killed Ben’s daughter, Susie, in a car accident the year before. -
Ben was getting rid of evidence when the teens hit him.
That’s right—Ben was disposing of David Egan’s body when the teens struck him with their car. Talk about bad timing. -
Ben didn’t die.
The teens thought they had killed him, but Ben survived—and came back for revenge the following summer. -
The hook weapon wasn’t random either.
As a fisherman, Ben’s signature hook ties perfectly into his profession and his vendetta. It also became one of the most recognizable horror weapons of the late ’90s.
Did You Know? 🎬
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The film is based on a 1973 novel by Lois Duncan—but in the book, the killer isn’t Ben Willis, and there’s no supernatural element at all. Duncan actually disliked how her suspense story was turned into a bloody slasher movie.
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The movie’s success helped spark the late-’90s horror revival, alongside Scream (1996).
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Jennifer Love Hewitt’s famous scream, “What are you waiting for, huh?!” was improvised during filming. It became one of the most iconic (and parodied) moments in horror history.
The Cultural Legacy of the Hook-Handed Killer
Ben Willis became a symbol of ’90s teen horror—mysterious, methodical, and driven by revenge. His fisherman’s slicker and gleaming hook joined the ranks of other horror icons like Freddy Krueger’s glove and Jason Voorhees’ hockey mask.
The story also spawned:
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Two movie sequels (I Still Know What You Did Last Summer in 1998, and I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer in 2006)
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A 2021 TV reboot on Amazon Prime, which gave the tale a modern, twist-filled update
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Countless pop-culture references, from Scary Movie to Family Guy
Quick Q&A
Q: Was the killer a ghost?
No—Ben Willis is very much alive. The horror is human, not supernatural.
Q: Did any of the main characters survive?
Yes. Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.) make it through the first film, though not without scars—both physical and emotional.
Q: Is Ben Willis based on a real legend?
Partially. The hook-handed killer is inspired by the old urban legend “The Hook,” where a killer with a hook stalks teenagers in a lover’s lane.
My Take
I remember watching this movie way too young and being both terrified and hooked (pun intended). What really stuck with me wasn’t just the jump scares—it was the idea of guilt coming back to haunt you, no matter how far you run. I Know What You Did Last Summer isn’t just a slasher flick; it’s a story about consequences, secrets, and the kind of fear that feels unshakably real.
Ben Willis may not wear a mask or haunt dreams, but his revenge-driven rampage made him one of horror’s most chillingly human villains. So next time you find yourself on a dark coastal road, maybe slow down—and keep an eye out for anyone holding a hook.
Who’s your favorite ’90s horror villain—Ben Willis, Ghostface, or someone else? Let’s talk in the comments.