Movie Announcement: The Summer I Turned Pretty Expands Beyond TV

The official photo for Jenny Han’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty” series, exclusively on Prime Video. (Courtesy/Amazon)

Jenny Han’s bestselling young adult romance novel, adapted into the TV series “The Summer I Turned Pretty” (TSITP), is making the leap from streaming screens to the big screen, with a feature film officially in the works.

On Wednesday, Sept. 17, season 3 of the series officially wrapped with the movie announcement coming shortly after the final episode’s release. The surprise news was officially announced at the series’s finale red carpet celebration in Paris.

The official series description of TSITP is “a multigenerational drama that hinges on a love triangle between one girl and two brothers, the ever-evolving relationship between mothers and their children, and the enduring power of strong female friendship. It is a coming-of-age story about first love, first heartbreak, and the magic of that one perfect summer.”

According to Prime Video, season 3 drew 25 million viewers within the first seven days and is currently the fifth most-watched returning season on Prime Video. 

Han revealed that while the film’s release date is still uncertain, it won’t arrive until after 2026. A first draft of the script has already been completed. She noted that the series will conclude following the movie’s debut.

“There is another big milestone left in Belly’s journey, and I thought only a movie could give it its proper due,” Han said in a press release.

Lola Tung and Christopher Briney at the “The Summer I Turned Pretty” Season 3 finale red carpet celebration in Paris, France. This photo was used to announce the upcoming movie on the series’ Instagram account. (Photo courtesy of Anthony Ghnassia via Amazon Prime Video)

The announcement sparked an immediate reaction from fans around the world, many of whom flooded social media with excitement, theories and anticipation for how Belly’s story will unfold on the big screen. 

Naledi Malunga, an avid TSITP viewer, said she’s eager to see unresolved storylines addressed on the big screen, but also questions whether a film is necessary. 

“I’m excited that the story is continuing with a movie because many of the plot points were left intentionally open-ended,” Malunga said. “As a viewer, it will be fun to see how they tie these pieces together. On the other hand, I don’t think we necessarily needed a movie to wrap up the story, as they could have done so within the season.”

Malunga predicted the ending.

“I think the movie should end with Belly and Conrad getting married,” Malunga said. “I feel like the series finale hinted at the plot heading in that direction, which makes the most sense—even if it likely involves a time jump I’m usually wary of, I’m still genuinely excited to see it unfold.”

Rasiah Worthy, a fourth-year student at Howard University, meanwhile, hopes the film gives fans closure.

“I feel like they should keep the ending of them getting married, only because they’ve been through this. Their story needs to end and I feel like that’s the best ending for them. And honestly, they keep finding their way back to each other,” Worthy said.

Worthy said she hopes the story challenges the idea that young love should define someone’s entire future. 

“I feel that the social media and the TV and film that we see nowadays is always about a girl finding love and everything,” she said. “However, I really want people to take into consideration that we’re young and one relationship shouldn’t be the end of the world.”

With the movie now in development, anticipation continues to build not only around who Belly will end up with, but also how Han will balance themes of love, family and self-discovery on the big screen. 

Whether the conclusion delivers marriage, independence, or something in between, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is set to leave a lasting impression well beyond its perfect summers.