The Summer I Turned Pretty has been renewed for season 3 and all fans can think about is what comes next for Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah.
The show, which debuted in June 2022, is based on a book series of the same name by showrunner Jenny Han. The Summer I Turned Pretty focuses on Belly (Lola Tung) who gets caught up in a love triangle where after exploring her feelings for Conrad (Christopher Briney), she starts to reconsider whether his brother, Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), is her perfect match.
Beyond Belly’s perspective, viewers have also gotten the chance to see events play out from other points of view including Conrad and Jeremiah’s. Belly’s brother, Steven (Sean Kaufman), mother, Laurel (Jackie Chung), and best friend Taylor (Rain Spencer) have been crucial to the story lines as well.
In the original book trilogy, Belly made her final choice in We’ll Always Have Summer, which will presumably inspire the third season of the show. Fans, however, have questioned whether the show will follow the events of the book series or whether there will be changes.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about season 3 of The Summer I Turned Pretty:
When Will Season 3 Start Filming?
Gavin Casalegno and Christopher Briney Courtesy of Prime Video Video
Filming for The Summer I Turned Pretty was initially delayed by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Depending on when production picks back up, season 3 could potentially premiere in 2024.
Which Stars Will Come Back?
Tung, Briney, Casalegno, Chung, Kaufman and Spencer are expected to return. Rachel Blanchard, who plays Conrad and Jeremiah’s later mother, potentially will return in flashback form. It remains unclear whether characters such as Cleveland (Alfredo Narciso), Skye (Elsie Fisher), Aunt Julia (Kyra Sedgwick) and Cam (David Iacono) appear in season 3.
Every Taylor Swift Song Used in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’
The Summer I Turned Pretty has made a statement by using Taylor Swift‘s discography to highlight pivotal moments throughout the seasons. Viewers — and longtime fans of the original book series — were in for a fun surprise when season 1 introduced Belly (Lola Tung)’s crush on Conrad (Christopher Briney) with the help of Swift’s […]
Can Fans Expect Taylor Swift’s Music to Set the Mood in Season 3?
Since The Summer I Turned Pretty premiered, Han has discussed incorporating Swift’s extensive discography in crucial onscreen moments.
Season 1 used several tracks including “Cruel Summer,” “Lover,” “The Way I Loved You (Taylor’s Version)” and “This Love (Taylor’s Version).” Meanwhile, the second season raised the bar with nearly twice as many songs such as “August,” “Sweet Nothing,” “Delicate (Taylor’s Version),” “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” and “Exile.”
It is probably safe to assume that Swift’s music will continue to play a huge role on the show.
What Is the Book Plot Line That Inspires Season 3?
Christopher Briney, Lola Tung and Gavin Casalegno in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’. Courtesy of Prime Video
The last book in The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy follows Belly in college as she’s still dating Jeremiah following her split from Conrad. A series of events leads to Belly and Jeremiah getting engaged — just as Conrad comes back to town. Belly must figure out what she really wants for her future including whether that means choosing a Fisher brother or leaving them both behind.
Will Season 3 Take Direct Inspiration From ‘We’ll Always Have Summer’?
As speculation swirls about how the third season will adapt Han’s source material, Casalegno has previously showed his support for a shakeup to the outcome of the central love triangle.
“I do feel like there’s a strong chance that that’s a possibility,” he exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2023 about the show potentially straying from the original events in the books. “Obviously, I know where [my character Jeremiah] ends up going and what ends up happening. But I don’t emphasize on that. Because I think Jenny writes it so well that I’m able to kind of get there naturally without having to force it a certain direction.”
What Happens to Steven and Taylor?
Season 2 introduced Steven and Taylor as a couple even though they weren’t explored in the books. During an exclusive interview with Us, Kaufman discussed how the shakeup was exciting for him to explore.
“I know for me, Steven not really being in the books takes some pressure off my back. It allows me to really put who I think I am into this character vs. trying to maybe be something I’m not,” he told Us in August 2023. “I think in terms of Steven and Taylor’s arc together, it was a little freeing [when] nobody even knows it’s coming. There’s no expectation so I have fun with this scene partner I have.”
Kaufman didn’t appear too concerned about Steven and Taylor’s future, adding, “I think [they can go the] distance. We’re going for speed. I think Steven and Taylor work really well together.”
Spencer, for her part, was also thrilled about how Taylor’s arc developed on screen.
“We had like multiple conversations with Jenny and [she has] such a clear picture in her head. She’s so good at navigating this world and making it so completely relatable,” she shared at the time. “Like Sean said, [Stevan and Taylor] grew up together. So at least in Taylor’s point of view, she has loved this person in every single one of his dorky, weird and awkward phases. She’s just undeniably in awe of this person growing up. It’s like if you love someone in every single stage that they’ve had in their life, that doesn’t go away.”
Has Season 2 Offered Hints at What Comes Next?
During the season 2 finale, which started streaming in August 2023, a flashback sequence showed Susannah (Blanchard) writing letters shortly before her death. Fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty books know that Susannah’s letters play a big role in We’ll Always Have Summer.
Book Moments Us Wants to See on ‘Summer I Turned Pretty’ Season 3
Fans have really high expectations about how The Summer I Turned Pretty will incorporate crucial book moments in season 3 — and so does Us. The hit Prime Video show, based on a book series of the same name by showrunner Jenny Han, focuses on a love triangle between Belly (Lola Tung), Conrad (Christopher Briney) […]
Will ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Franchise End After Season 3?
Despite there not being an official announcement about the future of the show, viewers have assumed that season 3 might be the last because of the book series only had three novels. Prime Video, however, seemingly has plans to expand The Summer I Turned Pretty universe.
“I will say stay tuned, but Jenny’s got some exciting surprises. So we’re thrilled about a season 3, and she’s got a vision for more,” the head of television at Amazon and MGM Studios Vernon Sanders told Deadline in September 2023. “This show is going to continue to be a huge centerpiece for us, and we absolutely have plans to continue building it. Jenny’s got great vision for where she wants to go with all of it, but we’re already hard at work developing complementary pieces.”
