‘This Summer Will Be Different’ adds ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Dexter’ stars as Netflix show rounds out its lead cast
Netflix’s adaptation of Carley Fortune’s bestselling novel ‘This Summer Will Be Different’ is continuing to take shape. According to Deadline, Francesca Reale and Roby Attal have officially signed on to star in the upcoming romantic drama, joining previously announced lead Sophie Nélisse. With these additions, the central trio at the heart of the story is now complete. Reale is best known for her work in ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Do Revenge’, while Attal has appeared in ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’, ‘Dexter: Original Sin’, and ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’. Their roles place them alongside Nélisse, who will lead the adaptation as Lucy, the woman whose love story drives the series. The television version comes from creators and showrunners Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart. The romance stretches across several summers on Prince Edward Island.
At the center is Lucy, a young woman trying to figure out adulthood while unexpectedly falling for the one man she promised she would never date: her best friend’s brother. Reale has been cast as Bridget, Lucy’s closest friend. Netflix has not shared an official character description, but readers of Fortune’s novel already know how important Bridget is in Lucy’s life. Their friendship begins shortly after college when the two women work together before eventually becoming roommates. Bridget is known for being highly organized, practical, and always thinking ahead. She is also the person who first introduces Lucy to Prince Edward Island, setting in motion the events that change both of their lives. Years later, Bridget once again becomes the reason Lucy returns to the island.
A wedding-related problem requires Lucy’s help, forcing her to revisit a place she has tried to stay away from. Going back also means coming face-to-face with someone she has spent years attempting to forget. That someone is Felix Clark. Attal will portray Felix, who is often called “Wolf” by those closest to him. Charming, confident, and impossible to ignore, Felix instantly catches Lucy’s attention during their first meeting. Their introduction happens at a local restaurant where Felix is preparing oysters behind the bar. A casual conversation turns into mutual attraction, and before long, the pair share a one-night encounter. Only afterward do they discover a rather awkward truth.
Lucy eventually realizes that Felix is Bridget’s brother, the very person her best friend warned her never to fall in love with. That revelation changes everything. In the novel, Bridget had only a handful of rules for Lucy before her first visit to Prince Edward Island, and staying away from Felix ranked near the top of the list. Meanwhile, despite the casting announcement coming back-to-back, the project is still in the early phases of production. Netflix has not announced when filming will begin, and there is currently no premiere window for the series. Moreover, the television adaptation has not revealed how closely it will follow every plot point from the novel.
