What will change this summer at Cousin's beach? We can speculate, but we won't know until The Summer I Turned Pretty hits Amazon Prime next month. The show is based on a trilogy by Jenny Han, author of To All The Boys I've Loved Before and is her second book trilogy to be adapted. The series will follow teenager Belly (Lola Tung) as she enjoys her summer at her family's beach house and reconnects with old friends, but things don't go quite as she expected.
Deadline reported that before Amazon optioned the series in 2021, Lionsgate had previously optioned the books in 2013. Han is involved with the show as a showrunner and an executive producer alongside showrunner Gabrielle Stanton and executive producers Nne Ebong, Hope Hartman, Paul Lee, and Karen Rosenfelt. The author even wrote the show's pilot episode.
While we wait for Belly to arrive at the beach and our screens, here's everything you need to know about The Summer I Turned Pretty.
The Summer I Turned Pretty: The Plot
Isabel "Belly" Conklin is ready to have a magical summer at her family's house in Cousin's Beach, just as she always does. However, something's different about this summer. While she gets to reunite with her friends Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), the former of which she's previously had a crush on, things seem to change, causing a love triangle between her and the two brothers to form. The book ends with Belly beginning a romantic relationship with one of the brothers (but we won't spoil it for you).
The teaser shows one of the brothers questioning Belly's lack of glasses, days of beach-filled fun, and sad moments in bed. While it isn't clear how faithful the series will be to the book, it can be assumed that it will come close based on the cast and Han's involvement. Will one brother continue to step aside for the other? Will Belly make the same choices she did in the book? We only have to wait a bit longer to find out.
There's also the question of how the series will handle the tragic event that happens between the first and second books of the trilogy. Will it be included in this initial season, or will fans have to wait and see if the series gets renewed? This event really defines several characters, so if another season is ordered, it is essential to include it, despite the emotional reactions it may cause.
The Summer I Turned Pretty: The Cast
Lola Tung portrays the main character, Belly. Based on her IMDb page, this will be her first major acting project. Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno play brothers Conrad and Jeremiah, respectively. Casalegno is known for his work in the CW reboot Walker as recurring character Trevor Strand. Briney's work includes writing and directing the short Paix. Belly's best friend Taylor will be played by Rain Spencer, who is also set to play the titular character in the upcoming film Good Girl Jane.
Conrad and Jeremiah's mother, Susannah, is portrayed by Rachel Blanchard (Clueless), and their dad Adam by Tom Everett Scott (An American Werewolf in Paris, La La Land). Jackie Chung (Grey's Anatomy) plays Belly's mother, Laurel. Sean Kaufman plays Steven, Belly's older brother. Shayla, another teen spending her summer at the beach, will be portrayed by Minnie Mills. Additional cast members include David Iacono as Belly's first boyfriend Cam, Summer Madison as Nicole, and Alfredo Narciso as Cleveland, a writer the teens cross paths with.
The Summer I Turned Pretty: Release Date
The series will be available on Amazon Prime Video starting June 17 and will consist of seven episodes total.
Everything Else We Know
The Summer I Turned Pretty is the first in a trilogy, followed by It's Not Summer Without You and We'll Always Have Summer. The Amazon Prime series will cover the events of the first book, but there's hope that the events of the others will be included in future seasons if the show is renewed. If each book becomes a season, viewers can hope for three seasons total, maybe even four, depending on how writers break up the events of the final installment.
The release of the teaser trailer was a big deal for Swifties. As Taylor Swift re-records her albums so she can own her masters, fans of the singer have been waiting for news on which re-record will be released next. The Summer I Turned Pretty teaser gave a hint at another recorded song. "This Love (Taylor's Version)" is used in the teaser and is the second single from Swift's album 1989 (Taylor's Version) to be released as part of a trailer. While there is no word on when the album will be released, this will help tide Swifties over until the announcement is made. Maybe more Taylor's Version records will make an appearance in the series.
Can't make it to the beach this summer? The Summer I Turned Pretty has you covered. Enjoy the beach, young love, and this classic coming-of-age story on Amazon Prime soon.