‘Cruel Summer’: Season 3 in Development with Olivia Holt Returning — Everything We Know

The anthology series Cruel Summer is reportedly being redeveloped at Freeform and Hulu. The show originally premiered on April 20, 2021, and ran for two seasons. Despite becoming the most-watched series on Freeform, it was canceled after Season 2 following a dip in ratings.

The show was canceled in December 2023 after the second season, which featured a new storyline and cast than the first season. But now, it appears to be circling back to the original Season 1 narrative, which ended with several unresolved plot threads.

Here’s everything we know about Season 3 of Cruel Summer.

Is Cruel Summer returning?

Yes! According to Variety, a source said the teen drama mystery anthology is in development again.

Who will star in Season 3?

Only Olivia Holt, who played Kate Wallis in Season 1, has been confirmed to return. She’s also set to executive produce the new season.

The rest of the cast, including Chiara Aurelia, Harley Quinn Smith, Froy Gutierrez, Michael Landes, Brooklyn Sudano, and Blake Lee, have not mentioned. Check back here for updates on potential returning cast members and any new additions.

When will Season 3 air?

With the show still in early development, it is hard to say when it will premiere. Check back for updates.

Where can you watch Cruel Summer?

Cruel Summer Season 3 will reportedly air on Freeform and stream on Hulu. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Hulu.

Related

Freeform Cancels ‘Good Trouble’ & ‘Cruel Summer,’ Its Remaining Scripted Originals

Is Jessica Biel back to produce?

The outlet reports that Jessica Biel will be back to executive produce, alongside Michelle Purple, via Iron Ocean. Cori Uchida and Adam Lash (The Thing About Pam, Parish) are the showrunners and exec producers on the production.

What was Season 1 about?

The first season followed Jeanette Turner (Aurelia) and Kate Wallis (Holt) across three summers in the mid-1990s. Wallis mysteriously went missing, and Turner was accused of being connected to her disappearance when Turner seemingly stepped into Wallis’ life after she underwent a drastic appearance and joined the popular group, stealing Wallis’ boyfriend.

Wallis was found alive a year later in the home of Martin Harris (Lee), the school’s new vice principal. After escaping Martin, who dies via police shoot-out, she takes Turner to court, accusing her of witnessing her abduction and staying silent. They entered a legal battle, but it was dropped in the season finale when they both realized Turner had never actually seen Wallis at Harris’ house. It was Mallory Higgins (Smith) who saw her. Mallory issued an apology to both of them, but in the final moments of the episode, Turner is shown hearing Wallis yell for help, implying she may have known she was there all along.

Higgins and Wallis became a couple at the end of the season and drove off to start a new life.

What was Season 2 about?

Season 2 followed completely different characters. Set between the summer of 1999 and 2000 in the fictional town of Chatham, Washington, Megan Landry (Sadie Stanley) and her family welcome Isabella LaRue (Lexi Underwood) into their home. The two girls go from hating each other to being best friends, but tensions rise between them when they both develop feelings for Landry’s childhood best friend, Luke Chambers (Griffin Gluck).

As the love triangle heats up, a leaked sex tape ruins Chambers’ life and ultimately leads to his murder. In the aftermath, Landry and LaRue both become suspects. In the end, fans find out Chambers was alive all along, having emerged from the ocean after being pushed in by his brother. LaRue finds him on the shore and pushes him back in, drowning him.

What might be the plot of Season 3?

Now that Wallis is free, she will probably try to put the past behind her. But if Turner’s secret comes to the surface, she might try to start another lawsuit. However, this is all speculation as the official plot has not yet been released.

Cruel Summer, Season 3, TBA, Freeform & Hulu