Freeform’s ’90s Thriller Series Cruel Summer Premiering in April

Freeform’s upcoming thriller series Cruel Summer has released its first promo, which you can check out above, before the series premieres on the network on April 20th with a two-hour event. From the look of things, the series will surely appeal to fans of multiple ages, as its young cast will surely draw in burgeoning mystery fans, while the series’ setting — unfolding over three years in the ’90s — will likely appeal to older audiences looking to revisit that time in their lives. Check out the first promo for the Jessica Biel-produced Cruel Summer above and tune in to the series premiere on Freeform on April 20th at 9 p.m. ET.

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.

The series stars Olivia Holt, Chiara Aurelia, Michael Landes, Froy Gutierrez, Harley Quinn Smith, Allius Barnes, Blake Lee and Brooklyn Sudano. Cruel Summer comes from studio eOne and was created by Bert V. Royal. Tia Napolitano serves as showrunner. Executive producers include Napolitano, Royal, and Iron Ocean Productions’ Jessica Biel, and Michelle Purple. Max Winkler directs and executive produces the pilot.

After the series premiere, new episodes will air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET.

“This is a project that I would have wanted to do if I was their age,” Biel shared of the project during last week’s TCA presentation. “I would have loved to play one of these characters.”

She added, “To sit in a space with the younger generation and really give them this platform to really talk about some intense, hard things that these young people are going through is really exciting for me. And it’s something we want to do for all people, but especially for women and for girls.”

Adding more of an emotional connection to the concept is that Biel’s breakout role came in the teen-aged drama 7th Heaven, which premiered in 1996.

Check out the series premiere of Freeform’s Cruel Summer on April 20th at 9 p.m. ET.

Are you going to be checking out the series? Let us know in the comments below!