What Changes Can Summer I Turned Pretty Fans Anticipate in Season 3?
The Summer I Turned Pretty is set to finally take a stand between Team Conrad and Team Jeremiah — but viewers shouldn’t anticipate a strict adherence to the source material.
Author Jenny Han hinted at several “definite changes” in the upcoming third season, diverging from the storyline established in the 2011 finale of the book series, We’ll Always Have Summer.
“There are surprises,” Han, 44, shared in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, released on Tuesday, May 20. “And there are elements that deviate from the books.”
Cast members Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, and Gavin Casalegno remained tight-lipped regarding Belly’s ultimate choice. Casalegno, 25, claimed that avid fans “don’t really know” what surprises await, while Tung, 22, stated viewers “have no idea” about upcoming plot twists.
Despite these modifications, Han assured fans of a “satisfying” conclusion for all characters involved.
“A successful love triangle is one where, no matter the outcome, someone will be heartbroken,” Han suggested. “If the resolution feels obvious and effortless, it eliminates real tension. At the end of the day, someone is bound to be hurt.”
The Summer I Turned Pretty, which launched in 2022, is adapted from Han’s book series that centers on Belly (Tung) and her entanglement in a love triangle involving brothers Conrad (Briney) and Jeremiah (Casalegno). After delving into her feelings for Conrad, Belly begins to wonder if Jeremiah may be her true soulmate.
In the original book trilogy, Belly makes her final decision in We’ll Always Have Summer, but it’s uncertain if the show will follow the same trajectory in its third and final season.
“I strongly believe there’s a chance that could happen,” Casalegno mentioned to Us Weekly in June 2023 regarding the possibility of the show deviating from the source material. “Of course, I’m aware of where [my character Jeremiah] ends up, but I don’t focus on it. Jenny crafts the story so well that I feel I can naturally reach the destination without forced direction.”
Tung also expressed her thoughts on the series’ deviation from the book.
“One thing I’ve always admired about Jenny is that each season and every decision is made purely to serve the story,” she shared with EW in March. “She would never make a choice that isn’t contextually fitting for the narrative.”
Tung continued: “It revolves around the beautiful world she’s constructed and aims to provide fans with something genuinely special, along with giving us exciting material to work with.”
The Summer I Turned Pretty is set to return to Prime Video on July 16.
