Jenny Han Talks Potential Summer I Turned Pretty Spinoff

The third and final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty is based on Jenny Han’s novel We’ll Always Have Summer — a sweet nod to Casablanca and the enduring power of young love. But on a literal note... will we always have summer? Fans dreaming of a spinoff from the hit Prime Video series certainly hope so.

Every Wednesday this summer, fans have debriefed and debated pressing TSITP matters, from the tumultuous love triangle involving Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah to theories about deaths, surprise pregnancies, and the practical realities of Belly’s sudden sojourn to Paris.

While simply keeping up is a full-time job, several viewers have looked beyond the new episodes to ponder potential TSITP spinoffs, like one centered on Taylor and Steven, or a prequel exploring young Laurel and Susannah’s friendship (an idea Jackie Chung, who plays Laurel, has called “amazing”).

Recently, hopes for a spinoff were tempered by Prime Video TV head Vernon Sanders, who told Deadline that previous comments about expanding the universe with “complementary pieces” were “wishful thinking.”

“We’re pursuing new and different things with Jenny right now,” Sanders said in July, explaining that the team has “moved away” from conversations about TSITP spinoffs.

But even if the conversations aren’t actively happening, there’s still reason to hope that Han — who has an overall deal with Amazon Studios — might revisit the dreamy TSITP universe one day.

A Return To Cousins Beach?

In a Sept. 15 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Han didn’t rule out the prospect of a follow-up in some form.

“But it has to feel like genuine excitement for me, because showrunning is 24/7, 365 days a year,” she said. “I feel I have to be there every day to make sure I can stand behind it.”

The author, whose lauded YA oeuvre also includes To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and its spinoff, XO, Kitty, added that she’s “definitely open to doing more stories in the universe,” with one understandable caveat. “It’s just that I want to figure out what the story is that I feel so compelled to tell it that I’m willing to spend the next few years throwing my whole body into it,” she explained.

Indeed, helming one of Prime Video’s most popular shows has been an undertaking. As Han recently shared with Bustle, “There’ve been books I’ve been working on for years that I’ve had to put aside because, when you’re doing a show, it’s more of a hamster wheel and you can’t really just stop.”

And whether or not her next move has something to do with Cousins Beach, Han did share that she’s working on both movies and shows to come. “I’m excited for what comes next,” she said. As are fans!