Is ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ movie hiding something in plain sight? One detail has fans wondering
With an epic finale of the TV show and the announcement of a full-feature movie, 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' fans are celebrating big time. While viewers are eagerly awaiting to see how things unfold for both Belly Conklin (Lola Tung) and Conrad Fisher (Christopher Briney) beyond the show, there could be a possible time jump in the romance drama. Thanks to a final clue, eagle-eyed fans are sure that the movie will have a time jump, and we agree.
In the series finale, viewers noticed that Belly's hair appeared long enough for a bun when she returned to the Cousins beach house with Conrad, despite having a chic bob in earlier Paris scenes. Fans discussed the apparent irregularity and shared their theories on Reddit. One fan wrote, "I assume it's been a few years. My take is that she gets to finish what she started in Paris, and Conrad gets to finish med school rotation at least then she comes back home. Whether they are engaged here is up for anyone’s guess - but I think they might have been engaged here already," while another added, "If I had to guess, this is the beginning scene of the movie. And they will cut to everyone arriving to the house for their wedding weekend."
"I feel some time has passed before they came back that summer. Belly took an extra year to finish off her program, so it’s more likely she visited Conrad or wrote him letters between all of that time. Also, Conrad is finishing up his studies back in California. So my guess is 1-3 years," a third fan commented, while another wrote, "I think it’s approximately 2 years after their reconciliation. Because she says that they don't to cousins for summer that year."
Notably, the writer of the show, Jenny Han, commented on the timeline, telling Variety, "I can't say how far ahead it is, but it is ahead." While the exact timeline for Conrad and Belly's next chapter is unclear, showrunner Han confirmed fans should expect a time jump. Having guided the characters through previous leaps, as Season 2 was set a year after Season 1 and Season 3 with Belly's Paris trip, the upcoming movie is expected to continue this pattern, though the length of the jump remains unknown, as per Parade.
Regarding the possibility of 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' releasing in 2026, showrunner Han clarified, "No, I don't think so. I don't know when it will be out, but I don't think it's safe to say next year because we haven't filmed it yet." She added that the extra time allows the actors to mature, saying, "I honestly really want that extra time, because it's just getting the actors a little bit closer to adulthood. 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."