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Freeform's hit series Cruel Summer(2021-) will soon return to the screen with its highly-anticipated Season 2. This sleeper hit quickly grasped viewers' attention when it came out on April 2021, focusing on Kate Wallis (Olivia Holt), a popular high school student who is abducted and rescued months later. During the time Kate is missing, Jeanette Turner (Chiara Aurelia) goes from nerd to the new Queen B, quite literally taking over Kate's position on the social ladder. However, things begin to go south for Jeanette once her reputation is on the line for omitting information about Kate's kidnapping for her own benefit.
With many twists and turns, the series (executive produced by Jessica Biel) is coming back with a whole new cast and storyline, filled with mystery, friendships, and betrayal. Here is everything we know so far about the next season of the Freeform original, including the release date, plot, and which actors from Season 1 will return for Season 2.
When Is Cruel Summer Season 2 Coming Out?
The finale of the Freeform series aired in June 2021, with the shocking revelation that Jeannette wasn't as innocent as she led on. Almost two years later, the sophomore season is set to premiere in just a month. Cruel Summer will officially return to the screen on Monday, June 5, 2023, with a two-episode premiere starting at 6:00 p.m. PST/ 9:00 p.m. EDT. Like Season 1, episodes will be available to stream on Hulu the day after they air on Freeform. After the premiere, the remaining episodes will come out on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. PST/10 p.m. EDT, which will become the show's regular time slot. While you wait for the premiere, use the following button to catch up on Cruel Summer Season 1 on Hulu:
Is There a Cruel Summer Season 2 Trailer?
A full trailer for Cruel Summer Season 2 was released on May 8, 2023.
Actress Lexi Underwood shared a teaser on Instagram that gives fans of the show an insight into the drama that is about to unfold. The teaser opens with Underwood's character uttering a very suspicious phrase, which is: "People will start asking questions. We must get our stories straight." From the short clip, viewers can tell that the second season of Cruel Summer will include a dead body, two characters working together to cover up their wrongs, and many lies. These elements instantly bring back the sense of mystery and intrigue that made Season 1 a hit. It also includes a few similar themes, such as female friendships and an ongoing investigation.
What Is the Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode Schedule?
As previously mentioned, the first two episodes will come out on the same day, while the rest will be released on a weekly rollout. They will air on Freeform on Mondays and will be available on the Hulu streaming platform on Tuesdays. Here is the schedule for the first five episodes:
- Episode 1: "Welcome to Chatham" - Monday, June 5, 2023 (Freeform)
- Episode 2: "Ride or Die" - Monday, June 5, 2023 (Freeform)
- Episode 3: "Bloody Knuckles" - Monday, June 12, 2023 (Freeform)
- Episode 4: "Springing a Leak" - Monday, June 19, 2023 (Freeform)
- Episode 5: "All I Want for Christmas" - Monday, June 26, 2023 (Freeform)
Who's In the Cruel Summer Season 2 Cast?
As previously mentioned, Little Fires Everywhere star Lexi Underwood will be one of the protagonists in this next chapter of the anthology series. She plays Isabella, a charming and enigmatic exchange student who befriends Megan and Luke, played by Sadie Stanley (The Goldbergs) and Griffin Gluck (American Vandal) respectively. Prior to Underwood landing the part, newcomer Eloise Payet was reportedly slated to play Isabella. Stanley's Megan is described as a nice and skilled computer coder who becomes a free spirit ever since Isabella begins to live in her household.
Other actors who are part of the cast for Cruel Summer Season 2 include KaDee Strickland (Private Practice) as Debbie, Lisa Yamada (All of Us Are Dead) as Parker, Sean Blakemore (General Hospital) as Sheriff Meyer, and Paul Adelstein (The Menu) as Steve Chambers. Adelstein, Nile Bullock, Jenna Lamb, and Braeden de La Garza, who were in the Season 1 cast, are expected to recur in this next installment. Chiara Aurelia, Olivia Holt, Froy Gutierrez, and Harley Quinn Smith's characters, who were pivotal to the story in Season 1, won't be a part of the cast in the upcoming season.
What Is the Plot of Cruel Summer Season 2?
Here is the synopsis of the next season, as revealed by Freeform:
Set in an idyllic waterfront town in the Pacific Northwest, the next chapter of “Cruel Summer” follows the rise and fall of an intense teenage friendship. Approaching the story from three different timelines surrounding Y2K, the season twists and turns as it tracks the early friendship between Megan, Isabella and Megan’s best friend Luke, the love triangle that blossomed, and the mystery that would impact all of their lives going forward.
Is Cruel Summer Season 2 Connected to Season 1?
Instead of building off from Jeannette and Kate's story in Season 1, Cruel Summer's second season will take the anthology route. Despite the inclusion of some recurring actors, the series itself will take on an entirely different plot. According to actress and executive producer Jessica Biel at the Television Critics Association 2023 Winter Press Tour, the decision to make it an anthology was in order to prevent the storyline from becoming repetitive. Yet, she assured that the series will continue to boast one of its best features: the unreliable narrators.
Who's Making Cruel Summer Season 2?
After the series' successful turnaround, Cruel Summer will not only have a new story and cast but also a new showrunner. Elle Triedman takes over the post for Season 2, and she has prior experience leading other Freeform productions, including Siren and Guilt. Tia Napolitano, the showrunner for the previous season, will now take on the role of executive producer. Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple will continue to be executive producers of the series through their production company, Iron Ocean Productions. They have collaborated before on the Netflix series The Sinner and the Hulu original Candy, a limited series that stars Biel and Melanie Linskey. Cruel Summer is also produced and distributed worldwide through eOne.