The Summer I Turned Pretty has been a massive success story for Prime Video, so it was a no-brainer for the streaming platform to follow up the end of the series with a movie.
Certain storylines lacked the finality they deserved at the end of The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3, and while the movie seemed like a last-minute addition to the franchise, it’s actually been in the works for much longer than any of us thought.
Deadline went public last week with an article delving into the financial side of things behind the scenes of the movie, and let’s just say it doesn’t paint the prettiest picture.
You’d expect the cast of one of Prime Video‘s biggest hits to be earning top-tier salaries.
The outlet’s sources state that the main cast, led by Lola Tung, earned around $100k per episode for the third and final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Those episodic fees are decent, but given the show’s success, I expected the cast to get quite a bit more.
According to the report, their deals during the first two seasons weren’t through the roof but were on par with what would be expected for a cast starting out on a YA drama series.
While those $100k-per-episode tallies are quite a raise, the path to getting them wasn’t easy.
Here’s where things get uncomfortable: The report states that some of the cast were told to agree to Wiip’s (the production company behind the series) request to sign on for a movie to secure raises.
The Summer I Turned Pretty Cast Deserves Better
That’s a tough look, no matter how you spin it.
After The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s explosive final season, the cast should have had leverage heading into a movie deal.
Instead, their The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 deals appear to have locked them in, leaving little room to renegotiate.
They’re reportedly being paid about three times their episodic rate — roughly $300K — which isn’t bad, but feels low for a breakout cast leading a hit franchise.
Amazon has deep pockets, regularly shelling out millions for projects, which makes this all the more disappointing.
The industry is built on maximizing profit, and this feels like a clear example of that.
I suspect that when all is said and done, The Summer I Turned Pretty cast will not be interested in any future projects beyond the announced movie.
It may be billed as a series finale event, but franchises rarely stay dead. If something has even a shred of relevance, studios would rather revive it than risk building something new.
The Summer I Turned Pretty has been a massive success, so this leaves a sour taste. How does this happen when a show is breaking through in such a big way?
The show is beloved by its fans. It hasn’t always nailed the storytelling, but it consistently delivers in viewership — and everyone involved should be paid accordingly.
What are your thoughts on the situation, The Summer I Turned Pretty fans? Are you as surprised as I am that the movie has been in the works longer than I thought?
What’s your take on the fact that the cast is being paid three times their episodic fees for the movie wrap-up?
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The Summer I Turned Pretty is getting the movie treatment, but the cast seems to be getting severely underpaid. Let’s discuss!
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