Freeform Renews Cruel Summer for Season 2

The debut season of Freeform's Cruel Summer wrapped up today, though the mysterious series isn't over quite yet, with Freeform confirming that the series was renewed for a second season. With the initial season exploring a narrative unfolding over the course of three distinct years, fans have been left to wonder if a follow-up season would continue to explore the characters from this season or if Cruel Summer would instead serve as an anthology, but the fate of the narrative has yet to be revealed by the creatives involved in the series. Stay tuned for details on the future of Cruel Summer.

From executive producer Jessica Biel (The Sinner), Cruel Summer is a psychological thriller that follows two young women: Kate Wallis, the popular girl with a charmed life who one day goes missing, and Jeanette Turner, the nerdy wannabe who is accused of being connected to Kate's disappearance. All signs point to Jeanette's guilt, but is Kate really who she seems to be? Set over three summers and told through shifting points of view, the series challenges perception and follows how one girl can go from being a sweet outlier to the most despised person in America.

"I think what has really resonated with audiences is that there's a very clear, strong mystery, but a mystery that's told from the point of view of two characters that people can really relate to," Freeform president Tara Duncan shared with Deadline. "That central conceit of 'is the grass always greener on the other side?' and that perspective of 'who do you believe Jeanette or Kate?' and that the story should shift depending on whose shoes you stand in, I just think is one that is really relatable for this audience. The idea of an unravelling mystery that's told week over week is one that the audience has obviously responded to."

Duncan added, "It's mystery coupled with a point of view that does feel very relevant to young adult audiences today, the issues that our characters are facing are the same issues that young people are dealing with in our current environment is also why it's struck a chord on many different levels."

Olivia Holt, Chiara Aurelia, Michael Landes, Froy Gutierrez, Harley Quinn Smith, Allius Barnes, Blake Lee, and Brooklyn Sudano starred in the debut season of the series.

Stay tuned for details on the future of Cruel Summer.

What are you hoping to see in a new season of the series? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!