Spoilers below.
Summer is far from over, at least as far as the denizens of Cousins Beach are concerned. As of Aug. 3, 2023, the news is official: The beloved Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty, based on the books of the same name by To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before author Jenny Han, is headed for a season 3. Prepare for more Taylor Swift songs! Here’s what we know so far about the next chapter.
When will The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 come out?
Although the third season was greenlit ahead of the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the strikes have put a halt to work on the series—including (but not limited) to scriptwriting and filming. As Han revealed on her Instagram, “It’s been hard not being able to work on the show because of the ongoing strikes, but we can’t wait to get going on Season 3 as soon as we’re able.”
The show has historically released episodes during the summer, in keeping with its name. (Season 1 began rolling out in June 2022, and season 2 in July 2023.) So it stands to reason that summer 2024 would have served as season 3’s launching pad. But the strikes will prevent the cast and crew from following the same production schedule they used for season 2, which began filming in July 2022 and wrapped by November of the same year. Therefore, a best guess for when season 3 might actually land is summer 2025—but that’s pure conjecture at this point.
What will season 3 be about?
There are three books in the series The Summer I Turned Pretty is based upon, and thus far seasons 1 and 2 have adhered closely to the content of the books. Season 3, then, will likely lift its plot from the third and last book in the series, We’ll Always Have Summer, which is set two years after the events of It’s Not Summer Without You. So it wouldn’t be a surprise to discover a time jump between the season 2 finale and the season 3 premiere.
As for the plot, we’ll avoid spoilers, but expect protagonist Belly (Lola Tung) to confront her true feelings for the Fisher brothers (Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno). A final verdict is incoming!
Season 2 ended with Belly choosing to be with Jeremiah and Conrad telling her that he doesn’t want her anymore (even though he said he did the night before!). There are clearly some lingering feelings there to explore next season.
When we asked Jenny Han about plans for season 3, she couldn’t divulge details given the ongoing writers and actors strikes—“everything’s on hold at the moment,” she said.
But castmembers Rain Spencer (Taylor) and Sean Kaufman (Steven) shared some of their hopes for next season (prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike), particularly with expanding on Taylor and Steven’s newfound romance.
“I hope that they can continue to learn from each other, that it’s okay to create a safe space for each other, that it’s okay to be vulnerable,” Spencer told ELLE.com. “It’s okay to communicate how you’re actually feeling in any given moment, and really just be there for each other. I mean, they grew up together, so it would make sense that they should feel safe in each other’s company.”
Kaufman added, “Yeah, I would love for them to feel safe and be happy with each other. … I would love to see how their story goes further than that, and then also the problems that they run into, as any couple does. I’m excited to see what it is for them, and how they manage to work through that stuff together.”
How many episodes will there be?
As Han revealed on Instagram, season 3 of The Summer I Turned Pretty will feature “10 whole episodes,” two more than season 2 and three more than season 1.
Who will be in the cast?
Expect most of the cast to return, including Tung as Belly, Rain Spencer as Taylor, Sean Kaufman as Steven, Jackie Chung as Laurel, Casalegno as Jeremiah, and Briney as Conrad. After all, season 3 is, as one commenter put it, “for the Conrad girlies. 🤪💅🏼”
It’s unclear if season 2 additions Kyra Sedgwick and Elsie Fisher will return as Julia and Skye, respectively. Or if David Iacono will once again reprise the fan-favorite Cam Cameron.
Should I read the books while I wait?
Absolutely. Check out the full series below.
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Now 24% Off
It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
Now 21% Off
We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
Now 26% Off
This story will be updated.
Culture Writer
Lauren Puckett-Pope is a staff culture writer at ELLE, where she primarily covers film, television and books. She was previously an associate editor at ELLE.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she’s listening to Lorde right now.