After three seasons of sun-drenched drama, love triangles, and bittersweet goodbyes, The Summer I Turned Pretty has closed the book on its television saga—at least for now. But fans who thought the story of Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah had been neatly tied up with a bow were in for a surprise. During a glittering red-carpet celebration for the Season 3 finale in Paris, series creator and author Jenny Han announced that a feature film is officially in the works, promising one final chapter to conclude the beloved Prime Video adaptation.
The series finale, which aired in September 2025, was a whirlwind of emotion and resolution. Belly (Lola Tung), after years of vacillating between the Fisher brothers, finally chose Conrad (Christopher Briney) as her partner. Their reunion in Paris, complete with romantic strolls and heartfelt confessions, gave Team Conrad supporters the ending they’d long hoped for. As reported by Variety, Han teased, “There is another big milestone left in Belly’s journey.” While she’s keeping plot details under lock and key, fans are already speculating: could a wedding be on the horizon, or perhaps a glimpse into Belly and Conrad’s life as adults?
One detail that has sent the fandom into a frenzy is the subtle but telling time jump in the finale’s last scene. As noted by Parade, viewers observed that Belly’s hair, cropped into a chic bob during her Paris escapade, had grown long enough to tie into a bun when she and Conrad returned to the Cousins Beach house. “Doesn’t seem like the immediate summer after the conference because Belly has her hair tied in a bun in that scene,” one fan pointed out on Reddit. The prevailing theory? At least a year—or possibly several—has passed, hinting at significant developments off-screen.
Jenny Han herself confirmed the presence of a time jump in the upcoming movie, though she remains tight-lipped about exactly how far ahead the story will leap. In her interview with Variety on September 18, Han said, “I can’t say how far ahead it is, but it is ahead.” This isn’t the first time the series has played with chronology; each season has featured jumps forward in time, with Season 2 picking up a year after Season 1 and Season 3 beginning with Belly’s transformative trip to Paris. The film, it seems, will continue that tradition, offering a fresh perspective on characters fans have grown up with.
But while Belly and Conrad’s Parisian reunion provided the headline romance, the finale also carved out space for other characters to find closure—or at least, new beginnings. Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), Belly’s other longtime love interest, found himself at a crossroads after his father cut him off financially and his engagement to Belly was called off. As detailed by Collider, Jeremiah spent the final episodes crashing with friends Steven (Sean Kaufman) and Denise (Isabella Briggs), moping over his heartbreak and trying to figure out his next steps. Denise, initially introduced as Steven’s business partner and potential love interest, quickly became Jeremiah’s confidante and, ultimately, his new romantic partner.
Their budding romance, however, felt rushed to many viewers. The pair’s chemistry was undeniable, but their transition from friends to lovers unfolded rapidly in the shadow of Belly and Conrad’s Parisian love story. Denise’s own arc—preparing to move to San Francisco with Steven and Taylor (Rain Spencer) to launch a startup—added another layer of uncertainty to their future. As Collider noted, “If the series had made their eventual romance more of a slow burn and hadn’t rushed their final scenes together, their resolution would’ve felt more rewarding.”
Despite these narrative shortcuts, the door remains wide open for Jeremiah and Denise’s story to continue. Fans and critics alike are hopeful that the upcoming film will give this couple the development they deserve. Jeremiah’s journey in Season 3 was one of self-discovery: learning to stand on his own without his father’s support, finding a new passion in cooking, and, perhaps most importantly, mending his relationship with his brother and Belly. Denise was instrumental in this transformation, encouraging Jeremiah to look beyond his heartbreak and pursue what truly makes him happy.
“Denise was the best thing to happen to Jeremiah this season,” Collider commented. She pushed him to get out of his comfort zone and find his passion without his father’s financial backing, encouraged him to heal at his own pace, and convinced him to forgive his brother and Belly in order to move on. The hope is that the film will allow Jeremiah’s character arc to reach its full potential, possibly alongside Denise as she builds her new life on the West Coast.
As for when fans can expect to see this final chapter, patience is required. Jenny Han told TODAY and reiterated to Variety that the movie has not yet been filmed and will not be released in 2026. “I honestly, really want that extra time, because it’s just getting the actors a little bit closer to adulthood,” Han explained. “We’re getting to see Belly at 15, turning 16, and then seeing her as this young woman. And now Lola is 22! I think that I always wanted some distance for the movie, so I’m really glad to get that breathing space.”
Prime Video, which has supported Han’s vision from the beginning, is backing the film, with Han herself set to write and direct. “I thought only a movie could give [the conclusion] its proper due,” Han said in her official statement. “I’m so grateful to Prime Video for continuing to support my vision for this story and for making it possible to share this final chapter with the fans.”
With speculation swirling about engagements, career moves, and the fate of every character, one thing is certain: the story of Cousins Beach isn’t quite over. Whether you’re Team Conrad, Team Jeremiah, or just rooting for Belly to find her own happiness, the upcoming film promises a last, sun-soaked ride through the world Jenny Han created. For now, fans will have to content themselves with rewatching the series—available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.—and dreaming of what’s to come when the saga returns to the big screen.
In the end, The Summer I Turned Pretty is getting the cinematic farewell its characters—and its passionate fanbase—have long deserved.
