Netflix is heading to the beaches of Prince Edward Island for ‘This Summer Will Be Different’, a new romantic drama starring Sophie Nélisse (Yellowjackets, Heated Rivalry).
Based on the bestselling novel by Carley Fortune, the 10-episode series is described as a simmering, sun-soaked romance unfolding across multiple summers. It follows Lucy, a young woman navigating her twenties and experiencing her first real love with her best friend’s brother, who also happens to be the one person she was never supposed to fall for.
Sophie Nélisse (Yellowjackets, Heated Rivalry) will take the lead role of Lucy, while additional casting has yet to be announced.
The story is set against the white sandy dunes, red cliffs, warm waters and salty air of Canada’s Prince Edward Island. Production on ‘This Summer Will Be Different’ will take place both on PEI and in Toronto, ensuring the adaptation captures the setting that played such an important role in Fortune’s original novel.
“I fell in love with Prince Edward Island first in the pages of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables and again when I visited with my best friend in my early 20s,” said Fortune. “That vacation, the beauty of the island, the warmth of its people, and the friendships that sustain us are the foundation of This Summer Will Be Different. I’m thrilled to bring this sweeping love story to the screen with Netflix and to transport audiences to the glittering shores and windswept beaches of PEI.”
The adaptation was created by Dane Clark (Suze, One More Time) and Linsey Stewart (Workin’ Moms, North of North). The pair will executive produce alongside Fortune (Every Summer After, Our Perfect Storm), Jennifer Kawaja (Sort Of, Wayward) and Elise Cousineau (Cardinal, Small Achievable Goals) for Sphere Media.
“When Carley first entrusted us with her captivating book, we knew we had to find the right team to deliver [for] her passionate fan base,” said Danielle Woodrow and Tara Woodbury, directors of content for Netflix Canada. “Developing this project with Dane, Linsey, and Sphere has been a dream, and we couldn’t have found better partners to bring this love letter to both Toronto and Prince Edward Island to the screen.”
Fortune’s novel was published in 2024 and became another bestseller for the Canadian author, whose romantic stories also include Every Summer After, Meet Me at the Lake and One Golden Summer. Her work often explores relationships developing over several years, along with the friendships, family connections and locations that shape them.
The series joins Netflix’s expanding collection of Canadian original productions, which also includes ‘North of North’, ‘Wayward’, ‘The Granville Girls’ and the documentary ‘Who Killed the Montreal Expos?’.
Netflix has not yet announced when ‘This Summer Will Be Different’ will premiere. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss.
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