The teen thriller has been renewed for a second series – here’s everything you need to know about Cruel Summer’s return.
Teen drama fans will be pleased to hear that Cruel Summer – the Freeform thriller executive produced by Jessica Biel – has just arrived on Amazon Prime Video, with those in the UK now able to binge all 10 episodes.
Set in early 1990’s Texas, Cruel Summer stars Olivia Holt as Kate, a popular girl whose sudden disappearance allows social outcast Jeanette Turner (Chiara Aurelia) to take over her position in the school hierarchy.
Set on the same day over the course of three years – 1993, 1994 and 1995 – the series unfolds as Kate is found alive a year later, having been kidnapped by the school’s vice principal, and accuses Jeanette of witnessing her abduction but failing to raise alarm.
While the show is returning for a second series, its original showrunner Bert V. Royal won’t be at the helm of the new season, having left Cruel Summer after its pilot wrapped last summer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
If you’ve already streamed the whole series and are wondering when season two is set to arrive, then you’ve come to the right place. Read on for everything you need to know about Cruel Summer season two.
Will there be a season 2 of Cruel Summer?
Yes! The Freeform series was renewed for a second outing in July ahead of the show’s season one finale.
“Renewing Cruel Summer for a Season 2 was an easy decision,” Freeform President Tara Duncan said in a statement.
“It’s the biggest series debut in Freeform’s history and the audience response has been overwhelmingly positive. [Executive producers] Jessica [Biel], Michelle [Purple] and [showrunner] Tia [Napolitano] did a phenomenal job telling an addictive story that’s tapped into the cultural zeitgeist. I’m excited to see where they take the series next.”
While showrunner Tia Napolitano added: “Collaborating with Iron Ocean, our dedicated crew, charismatic cast, and our partners at Freeform and eOne has been the best first showrunning experience I could ask for.
“I am beyond grateful and excited by the amazing fan response to our show! Continuing to bottle Cruel Summer magic for a Season 2 is an absolute dream come true.”
Cruel Summer season 2 release date
While an exact return date for Cruel Summer has not yet been confirmed, the show’s Twitter account revealed that season two would air in 2022.
Since the first series premiered in April, we predict that Cruel Summer season two will arrive on our screens in April 2022 at the latest.
Some secrets are too good to keep quiet. #CruelSummer #Season2 pic.twitter.com/0z2PNS5EFD
— Cruel Summer (@cruelsummer) June 15, 2021
How to watch Cruel Summer in UK
While Cruel Summer’s first season finished airing in the US in June, the teen drama has only just arrived from across the pond, with UK viewers now able to binge the whole series on Amazon Prime Video.
You can watch all 10 episodes of Cruel Summer with a Prime membership (costing £7.99 per month) or a separate membership just for Amazon Prime Video (£5.99 per month). Find out more by checking out our Amazon Prime Video price guide.
With season two set for release next year, it’s likely that any new episodes will also find a home on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.
Cruel Summer season 2 cast
!["Cruel]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/08/cruel-summer-recap-bbfbdcc.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"cruel-summer-season-2-release-date\"")
We’re likely to see Olivia Holt (Kate Wallis), Chiara Aurelia (Jeanette Turner), Froy Gutierrez (Jamie Henson), Harley Quinn Smith (Mallory Higgins), Brooklyn Sudano (Angela Prescott), Allius Barnes (Vince Fuller), Nathaniel Ashton (Ben Hallowell) and Michael Landes (Greg Turner) reprise their character for a second season.
As for Blake Lee however, it’s unlikely he’ll return as Martin Harris considering the character died in the very first episode, returning in flashbacks from that point onwards.
Cruel Summer season 2 plot
*Spoilers ahead for season one*
At the end of Cruel Summer’s first season, Jeanette and Kate both realise that it was Mallory who’d spotted her in Martin’s window and not Jeanette, who Kate had accused of seeing she’d been kidnapped and failing to alert the authorities. Mallory later comes clean by explaining that she spotted a blonde woman in Martin’s window but didn’t realise it was Kate.
While it turned out that Jeanette wasn’t lying about not seeing Kate while she was being held captive, at the end of the episode we learn that she did hear Kate begging for help when she broke into Martin’s house in 1994, but chose not to do anything.
In a second series, we’re likely to see whether Jeanette and Kate have truly buried the hatchet, especially when the fact that Jeanette knew Kate had been kidnapped is at risk of being revealed.
Similarly, season two will probably explore the relationship between Kate and her best friend Mallory, with whom she shared a kiss in the season finale. What it just a spur of the moment snog or the beginnings of a promising romance?
Cruel Summer season 2 trailer
Freeform is yet to release a trailer for Cruel Summer’s second season, however the show did tease the upcoming series with a short recap video on Twitter.
Cruel Summer is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. While you’re waiting, take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage, or check out our TV Guide.