Jenny Han’s Comments On The ‘TSITP’ Movie Release Date Have Me Upset

Only hours after fans mourned what they thought was the end of Conrad and Belly on their screen, Jenny Han and Amazon Prime fed the masses with the announcement of a The Summer I Turned Pretty movie. Then, in the cast’s Sept. 18 appearance on The Today Show, Han answered the question on everyone’s mind. When will we get the TSITP movie? Han made some comments on the movie’s release date.

The answer left many of us to yearn as badly as Conrad did all of Season 3. Jenny Han was transparent about the ongoing process, saying, “It’s still a little too soon to say… We don’t know when it’s coming out, but not next year.” If I’m doing a little quick math, “not next year” most likely means at the very earliest 2027. That means I’m going to have to live another entire summer without being transported into Cousins via Prime Video. Devastating. 

In the interview, Lola Tung, Gavin Casalegno, and Chris Briney appeared giddy alongside Han, expressing gratitude for her storytelling and the opportunity to play these characters. Tung praised the “wonderful writing” and Briney expressed his pride over the Bonrad endgame. Casalegno, who plays Jeremiah, made a reference to the flack his character has gotten this season, mentioning that his sister changed his profile picture in their family group chat to “Willy Wonka.”

All in all, fans’ devotion to making memes and fan edits speaks to how talented Han has been at telling a story that resonates. From watch parties around the world and those of us rewatching each season for Belly and Conrad crumbs, TSITP has been such a wonderful and entertaining (sometimes frustrating) way to spend the summer. Fan discourse over Team Jeremiah, Conrad, or yes — even Team Belly — have been a great conversation-starter for anyone watching. Even for Han, it’s been surreal to see the impact of the way that simply “coming up with a story in [her] head,” can become such a piece of Gen Z culture. 

Of course, I want the film to be the perfectly thought-through ending to Belly’s character journey. Given how fans (including myself) have been locked in to every loose end and exchange within each character dynamic (Steven and Conrad heart-to-heart 2027), it makes sense for the showrunner to take her time with the final product. Han said, “Sarah Kucserka — my co-showrunner — and I have finished a draft. So we’re shuffling along.” 

While I’m day-dreaming about how many hilarious Taylor and Steven moments are in that draft (I would do anything to read it), I’m aware I’m going to have to be patient. As Han said, “We still have to make it.” With the cast in the literal prime of their careers, there’s schedules to be cleared and bobs to grow out (just kidding, it was a wig). I feel even more stressed than PR Taylor when she found out Steven was moving to San Francisco.

Jenny Han’s letter to fans at the end of the Season 3 finale said, “Maybe we’ll meet again one summer in Cousins. Until then…” While I could watch 100 more seasons of the show and an infinite number of movies, that won’t be the case. In a press release with Prime Studios, Han announced that the movie is the “final chapter” for TSITP. Already, fans are getting more than they expect, and yet, it feels like it will never be enough. 

Since it is confirmed that the movie will be our last journey to Cousins, Jenny Han can take as much time as she needs if it means acquiring the rights to the perfect Taylor Swift song (a la “Dress” in the season finale) and writing another devastating Conrad monologue to be heartbreakingly delivered by Chris Briney. That doesn’t mean I won’t be sitting here counting the time, though. 

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