The Summer I Turned Pretty proves that a TV series isn’t enough for a cultural phenomenon

What's worse than a bad premise and poor acting? The anxious anticipation of waiting for a riveting story to come to its rightful conclusion. Some stories linger past the screen in the mind; turning into rituals of rewatching, rereading, and reliving. The Summer I Turned Pretty can easily termed as one of those stories. What began as a beloved YA trilogy by Jenny Han quickly grew into a television juggernaut with a fandom that surpassed genders and generations—an ode to nostalgia, first love, and the bittersweet trials of growing up.

Now, it’s going where only the most enduring of phenomena go: the big screen. The recent announcement was made in Paris during the glittering red carpet series finale. Han herself will write and direct the feature film that will tie the loose ends of Belly’s story. More than just a romance; The Summer I Turned Pretty was watched as a tapestry of generational ties, of mothers and daughters, of friendships that withstand heartbreak, and of the quiet ways we learn to outgrow who we once were. The audience saw themselves in Belly’s first love, Conrad’s broodiness, Jeremiah’s sunshine, and even in the adult figures quietly navigating their own imperfect lives.

It’s rare for a Young Adult adaptation to sustain this kind of fervour over multiple seasons. The first instalment premiered in the summer of 2022, climbing to the top spot on Prime Video during its launch weekend. Season Two doubled the debut’s viewership in just three days, while Season Three, launched this year, drew a staggering 25 million viewers in its first week. That trajectory alone marks The Summer I Turned Pretty as one of the most successful literary adaptations of the streaming era. That is perhaps why the move to film feels so natural. Han explained, “There is another big milestone left in Belly’s journey, and I thought only a movie could give it its proper due.”

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Much before The Summer I Turned Pretty, some of television’s most famous series have proven that their stories deserved to be expanded from the small screen, finding new life in feature films that acted as a final swan song for devoted fans. Historic animated series, The Simpsons, after years of cultural dominance, announced The Simpsons Movie in 2007, turning Springfield’s chaos into a blockbuster spectacle. Downton Abbey elegantly extended its period drama into two films, giving audiences a chance to revisit its stately world. Breaking Bad, often hailed as one of the greatest TV dramas of all time, offered closure through El Camino, which followed Jesse Pinkman’s desperate escape after the series’ harrowing finale. Sex And The City returned as a film (later with a spin-off TV show, And Just Like That) which showcased the glamour, friendships, and romances that made it a cultural juggernaut.

Like them, The Summer I Turned Pretty film too, will carry the story to its final destination, reminding us that some summers, and some stories, deserve to transform from television hit to a cinematic farewell.

(Also Read: How The Summer I Turned Pretty’s love triangle became the season’s most popular cross-generational romance)