The Summer I Turned Pretty movie won’t film until cast is older, says creator – don’t expect it next year
"I honestly, really want that extra time, because it’s just getting the actors a little bit closer to adulthood."
The Summer I Turned Pretty creator Jenny Han has said that production won't begin on the finale movie until the cast are "a little bit closer to adulthood" – and that it won't be coming out in 2026.
Hours after the season 3 finale of the drama debuted on Wednesday (17th September), news broke that Amazon has greenlit a feature film to conclude the story of the hit YA series.
While plot and casting details are yet to be announced, we do know that Han will return to write the film alongside Sarah Kucserka.
Han recently opened up about the planned movie in an interview with Variety, revealing that she wants a jump in time between the season 3 finale and the feature film.
Asked whether it’s safe to say it’ll be out next year given an early draft has already been written, she responded: "No, I don’t think so."
She added: "I don’t know when it will be out, but I don’t think it’s safe to say next year because we haven’t filmed it yet. I honestly, really want that extra time, because it’s just getting the actors a little bit closer to adulthood."
She continued: "We’re getting to see Belly at 15, turning 16, and then seeing her as this young woman. And now Lola is 22! I think that I always wanted some distance for the movie, so I’m really glad to get that breathing space."
When asked whether she knows how far ahead in time the movie could jump, Han said: "No."
The Summer I Turned Pretty movie was announced at the series' finale red carpet celebration in Paris, France.
“There is another big milestone left in Belly’s journey, and I thought only a movie could give it its proper due,” Han said at the event (per Variety).
She added: “I’m so grateful to Prime Video for continuing to support my vision for this story and for making it possible to share this final chapter with the fans.”
The Summer I Turned Pretty is available to stream on Prime Video.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
