The Summer I Turned Pretty is based on a three-book series — but that doesn’t mean showrunner Jenny Han will stop there.
Vernon Sanders, who is the head of television at Amazon and MGM Studios, hinted at how the hit Prime Video series could continue to grow.
“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,” Sanders told Deadline during an interview on Tuesday, September 5. “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.”
The Summer I Turned Pretty, which is based on books written by Han, 43, focuses on a love triangle between Belly (Lola Tung), Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). Season 2 pulled heavy inspiration from It’s Not Summer Without You, which ends with Belly choosing Jeremiah after closing the door on a future with Conrad.
Prime Video picked up the series for a third season, and it will presumably include key moments from the We’ll Always Have Summer novel. Han, however, surprised fans when she hinted at telling a different story on screen.
“I really had to weigh what the fans are expecting with where the show is going creatively and find that balance,” she told Variety in June 2022 about adapting the book for Prime Video. “My priority has always been that I want fans of the book to feel really satisfied by the story we’re telling, but also for them to know that this is an adaptation in a new medium, so it’s not going to be exactly the same. I think those are sort of the two things that are always in my head.
Han added: “I don’t want to spoil too much but the books have been out for a while. You never know what could happen with the show. I was open minded going into it. I was considering a lot of different possibilities.”
Casalegno, 24, later noted that he has not ruled out a new outcome for the show’s endgame couple. “I do feel like there’s a strong chance that that’s a possibility,” he exclusively told Us Weekly in July when asked if season 3 could stray from events in the book series.
During Tuesday’s interview, Sanders praised Han for bringing her vision to life.
“We take pride in our relationships with authors. We work with so many, and I think the key here is leaning into great stories that are really just focused on characters and relationships. This show is all about Jenny’s vision and the tight team that she has,” he continued. “As we think about this audience, I think we will continue to look for those authored stories. You don’t need a ton of special effects. It’s not about bells and whistles, it’s just about characters and universal storytelling. I have to give incredible kudos to the cast … they’ve been brilliant in their portrayals and wonderful partners as well.”
Before bringing her talents to Prime Video, Han adapted her To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before book series into three Netflix films. The hit onscreen trilogy, which starred Lana Condor and Noah Centineo, inspired the streaming platform to expand the universe with spinoff series XO, Kitty, which was picked up for a second season in June.
