The Summer I Turned Pretty” Isn’t Over: Final Season Wraps — But Movie Is Greenlit to Finish Belly’s Story

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The coming-of-age saga The Summer I Turned Pretty, based on Jenny Han’s bestselling trilogy, has reached its television ending. The third season, released in mid-2025, concluded with its last episode on September 17. It wrapped up many threads, answered many questions, and gave fans moments of both heartbreak and closure. But even as the screen fades on the series, there remains one more chapter: a feature-length film has been approved by Prime Video to complete Belly’s journey.

What does that mean for fans who have followed Belly Conklin through summers of love triangles, first heartbreak, friendship, family, growth, and self-discovery? What remains unresolved after the finale, and what might the movie set out to deliver? In this article, we’ll explore how the finale lands, what gaps are left, the announcement of the movie, what it promises (and what is still unknown), how fans are reacting, and what we might expect in terms of emotional payoff when the film appears.

The Finale: Where Things Stand

By the time of its final episode, The Summer I Turned Pretty had carried forward its signature elements: love and loss, nostalgia for youth, the pangs of growing up, and the tug between what we want and what others expect of us. Belly, portrayed with earnest longing by Lola Tung, has always been caught in the orbit of two brothers — Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). Over three seasons, the emotional stakes built high, especially with Belly wrestling with her own identity and choices, not just romantic ones but those tied to family, loyalty, and what “home” really is.

The season finale answers one of the biggest fan questions: who does Belly end up with? It confirms that she chooses Conrad. The two reunite in Paris after time apart. The show does not end with a wedding or a grand ceremony, but instead with emotional truths, confessions, long-standing love, quiet vulnerability, and acceptance. Belly’s journey toward self-assuredness and Conrad’s willingness to keep returning both emotionally and physically become central. While the story returns to Cousins Beach for the epilogue-like closure, it’s clear there are still nuances to explore — how relationships sustain beyond reunions, how deep wounds heal or linger, how identity and family continue to matter even when love seems settled.

Many fans felt satisfied with this ending; others believed it left room for longing — for the “big moment” (wedding), for more of Belly’s internal journey beyond love. And that’s where the idea of a movie comes in: not as a replacement of the finale but as a continuation that gives more weight to what the finale hinted at yet did not fully show.

Announcement of the Movie: What We Know

Shortly after the series finale dropped, Prime Video confirmed that The Summer I Turned Pretty: The Movie is officially in the works. This movie is intended to serve as a feature-length conclusion to the story, continuing from where the final season left off. Importantly, Jenny Han, the author of the books and showrunner of the series, will write and direct the movie. That positions the film to retain the original voice, tone, and emotional integrity fans appreciated in the books and the series.

Lola Tung (Belly) and Christopher Briney (Conrad) are set to return in their roles. The full cast is expected to be largely the same, including those playing Jeremiah, Belly’s family, and her circle of friends — people whose lives have intertwined for three summers (and many more off‐screen moments) of drama, growth, heartbreak, and reconciliation.

What we do not yet know: the exact plot of the movie, the release date, how much time will pass between the end of the series and the events of the movie, and whether certain book-moments not depicted in the show will be included. One specific moment from the books — Belly and Conrad’s wedding — was omitted from the series finale. Fans are hoping the movie might cover that, or at least depict it, but the creators haven’t confirmed.

Jenny Han has said there is “another big milestone left in Belly’s journey, and I thought only a movie could give it its proper due.” That suggests the movie aims to deliver an emotional arc that the series, by its episodic constraints, could only hint at. Prime Video and its affiliates have praised the show’s global success, explaining that its resonance with audiences, especially in its themes of nostalgia, first love, family bonds, and female friendship, made this continuation feel natural rather than forced.

Why the Movie Matters: Closing the Gaps

Several reasons suggest why fans and creators alike feel the movie is important:

1. Unresolved Moments
   While the series finale tied major threads, some book fans and TV viewers felt there were quieter arcs left unsatisfied — moments of internal growth for Belly, care for Jeremiah, deeper exploration of characters like Taylor, Laurel, Susannah, and others. These threads may get more screen time in the film.

2. Romance vs. Reality
   The show has always balanced romantic fantasy with realism. Choosing Conrad and returning to Cousins gives emotional closure, but it also raises questions: How do they navigate their relationship in non-magical moments? What does life after “the summer” look like for Belly and Conrad? The movie can explore such everyday but emotionally rich moments.

3. Fan Expectations (and Pressure)
   A large, invested fan base expects certain book moments to be honored. The wedding, family reconciliations, perhaps even glimpses into what Belly becomes beyond the summer’s emotional highs. The show’s creators will need to satisfy loyal fans without feeling constrained. Also, the tone has to stay true — nostalgic, heartfelt, sometimes bittersweet — because moving too far could betray what made the series beloved.

4. Emotional Catharsis
   The finale provided emotional catharsis for many, yet some viewers felt parts of Belly’s internal journey were sublimated. A movie gives more time to dwell on what happens after big realizations — how Belly copes with fear, identity, expectations, and love in fuller detail.

5. Legacy and Cultural Impact
   TSITP wasn’t just another teen romance show. Its soundtrack, character arcs, representation, and nostalgic tone have made it a cultural touchstone for many young viewers. To properly close the story says something about honoring the impact. And making a movie sends a message: this story matters, and its conclusion should have the space it deserves.

What Fans Are Saying (and Hoping For)

Reactions have ranged from excitement to cautious optimism. Many fans are joyed that the story isn’t ending abruptly; they’re grateful that the creators are listening to what viewers felt was missing. Social media discussions include:

• Hope that Belly and Conrad’s wedding will be shown or at least acknowledged.

• Desire to see more of Jeremiah’s growth and what he does next, not just his heartbreak.

• Interest in seeing how Belly’s relationship with her mother, Susannah, and with her friends evolve beyond the summer drama.

• Curiousity about how time will pass in the movie — whether it will follow the books closely, or diverge as the series has in some spots.

• Some concern: that a movie might try too hard to deliver fan service instead of quiet character depth. Fans want more authenticity, not just spectacle.

Overall, there is a sense of gratitude — for memories of past summers in Cousins Beach and emotional weight the show carried through tough moments — and hopeful anticipation that the movie will give a satisfying send-off.

Creator’s Vision: Jenny Han’s Role

Because Jenny Han is both the author of the original novels and showrunner of the series, her involvement in writing and directing the movie matters deeply. It suggests the movie will maintain thematic fidelity: long summer afternoons, first love, heartbreak, nostalgia, family, authenticity.

Han has expressed that she felt a movie was necessary to give Belly’s story its “proper due” — likely meaning that certain transformative moments need more space than episodic television allowed. That signals the movie won’t just be extra romance or fluff but possibly more introspective, showing Belly’s emotional maturity, her fears, and what she becomes.

Han’s creative control also raises expectations that the adaptation will remain respectful of character arcs and avoid turning into something disjointed or purely commercial. Many love the series not just for its romantic tension but for its emotional truths, its ability to make fans feel connected and seen. That’s part of what the movie must deliver.

Potential Challenges & What the Movie Must Avoid

As with any beloved story, concluding it in film brings risks. Some things to watch out for:

• Rushed storytelling: cramming too many loose ends into a single movie can feel overwhelming or forced.

• Over-focusing on romance while neglecting internal growth, friendships, family dynamics, which have been central all along.

• Departures that feel out of tone: changes for the sake of surprise can sometimes feel betraying of what made the show special if not handled with care.

• Fan expectations: pleasing everyone is impossible. There will be fans who preferred moments from the books, others from the show, others who want something entirely new. Balancing that will be delicate.

• Maintaining emotional authenticity: grand gestures are nice, but fans often love what felt real — vulnerable moments, imperfect decisions, growth even amid grief or confusion.

What Might Happen in the Movie (Speculations & Possibilities)

While nothing is confirmed, based on the finale and what’s known, some likely contents of the movie could include:

• The wedding of Belly and Conrad: a key book moment left out from the series finale, could be shown here.

• Time jumps: perhaps seeing where Belly is in her life after returning to Cousins Beach, or following Conrad in his medical career.

• More of Jeremiah’s life and how he moves forward; how his relationship with Belly evolves or resolves beyond the love triangle.

• Deepening Belly’s relationships with her mom, Susannah, her friends, perhaps new challenges in adulthood.

• Exploring how the summers change them. Summer 1, 2, and 3 are in the books as distinct phases; a movie might reflect on how summers shape identity beyond just romantic love.

• Themes of nostalgia — maybe revisiting Cousins Beach, old haunts, memories, photographs, letters, reflections, showing how time and distance change people.

Why This Is Happening Now

Several converging reasons explain why the movie is being greenlit right after the series:

• The finale left room. While many arcs closed, some moments the audience expected weren’t shown — creating natural appetite for a final wrap-up.

• The show’s global success and high viewership in past seasons gives Amazon confidence that there is both demand and market for a movie.

• Jenny Han’s creative desire to finish things in a way that feels complete. For her, as the author, the story is not just about romantic ending but forming the whole experience.

• Fan engagement: the ongoing conversations, emotional investment, longing for certain book moments, and discussions online — all of which suggest many fans are not ready to say goodbye.

What We Should Watch When the Movie Comes

As fans and viewers, here are some of the key things to keep an eye on when the movie arrives:

• Will it adapt more from the books explicitly, or continue diverging from them?

• How will pacing be handled — will the story feel rushed, or given breathing space?

• Will character arcs get more depth, especially for secondary characters who may have felt less spotlighted?

• How will the film deal with nostalgia — will past summers be revisited visually or through memories?

• What emotional tone: will it lean more into redemption, resolution, reflection, or will it maintain the blend of hope and bittersweetness the series is known for?

Conclusion

The Summer I Turned Pretty may have concluded on screen, but the story is far from over. With a feature film in the works, Belly, Conrad, Jeremiah, and the rest are getting one more chance to resonate with fans in a deeper, more conclusive way. The finale provided an emotional climax, but many fans felt that a few arcs remained open, quiet spaces left for longing. The movie promises to fill in those spaces, offering closure, emotional truth, and possibly some book-moments fans hoped to see.

This continuation is not just an extra chapter. For many, it feels necessary — a way to say farewell to a world that has captured hearts, to acknowledge what the series meant, and to honor the characters’ lives beyond the love triangle. As we wait for more details, we can hope that the movie gives Belly’s journey its full due, that it respects the emotional groundwork laid over three seasons, and that it delivers not just a fan-pleasing finish, but a emotionally authentic and satisfying one.

Disclaimer

This article is based on officially announced information as of now, interviews, public statements, and speculations drawn from the books and series. Plot points discussed may change. The movie’s release date, content, or cast details could differ from what’s written here. For exact updates, rely on official sources from Prime Video, Jenny Han, or Amazon.