“Last Summer” Star Open to Sequel After Deleted Scene
Actor Nicholas Alexander Chavez Reflects on Unseen Role
Despite his scenes being ultimately removed from the recent “I Know What You Did Last Summer” requel, actor Nicholas Alexander Chavez has expressed openness to returning for a future installment of the horror franchise.
Filmmaking Realities
Chavez, an Emmy winner, shared his thoughts after his and co-star Lola Tung‘s contributions to writer/director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson‘s film were cut. He told Us Weekly, “I mean, Jennifer is a good friend. She’s really, really cool people, and, you know, me and Lola had a really, really good time. But, like, look — that’s filmmaking.”
Australia’s Charm
Reflecting on his time during the production, Chavez focused on the positive experiences he had in Australia, rather than the unreleased footage. “All I could think about was my time that I spent in Australia, which was hanging out with kangaroos, going on hot air balloon adventures over the plains at sunrise, going cherry picking with my girlfriend. That’s actually all I remember when I think about that movie,”
he stated.
When pressed about the character he portrayed in the deleted scenes, Chavez playfully remarked, “That’s left to other people!”
Sequel Prospects
With the film’s conclusion strongly suggesting the possibility of a sequel, Chavez remains optimistic about his potential involvement. He commented, “You know, ask me tomorrow, I’ll have a million different answers for you. The only thing that matters at this point in my career is just doing good material with people who I love and people who I believe in and who believe in me.”
Director’s Explanation
Robinson herself previously clarified the decision to cut Chavez and Tung‘s scenes. She explained to People, “In every movie, it’s best laid plans, and then you edit the movie and you put it together and you go, ‘I love this in a vacuum. This is a fantastic scene. But it doesn’t fit in the movie.’ It was just one of those situations where it had nothing to do with Lola and Nicholas — they are both so fantastic. I really would love to work with them again. I loved working with them. They did a fabulous job. But in the larger tapestry of the film, it just didn’t fit.”
Robinson acknowledged the disappointment this causes for actors involved, stating, “And it sucks when you love something as a scene but that scene just doesn’t work in the final cut of the film.”
This news comes as the original “I Know What You Did Last Summer” film from 1997 continues to be a touchstone for the genre; a recent survey indicated that 45% of Gen Z identify horror as their favorite film genre, fueling demand for new content (Source: Variety, 2023).