White sandy dunes, red cliffs, warm water, and salty air: This Summer Will Be Different, a series adaptation of Carley Fortune’s bestselling novel, will bring to life idyllic summers spent on Canada’s Prince Edward Island. See cast members Sophie Nélisse, Roby Attal, and Francesca Reale celebrate the start of production above.

“I fell in love with Prince Edward Island first in the pages of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables and again when I visited with my best friend in my early 20s,” Fortune tells Netflix. “That vacation, the beauty of the island, the warmth of its people, and the friendships that sustain us are the foundation of This Summer Will Be Different. I’m thrilled to bring this sweeping love story to the screen with Netflix and to transport audiences to the glittering shores and windswept beaches of PEI.”

Keep reading to learn everything there is to know about the new series adaptation of This Summer Will Be Different, including who else has been cast.

What is This Summer Will Be Different about?

This Summer Will Be Different is a simmering, sun-soaked romance set across multiple summers. The series follows a young woman navigating her 20s and her first real love — with her best friend’s brother, the one person she was never supposed to fall for.

Is This Summer Will Be Different based on a book?

Yes. The Toronto and Prince Edward Island–set series is based on Fortune’s book by the same name. 

Who is in the cast of This Summer Will Be Different?

• Sophie Nélisse (Yellowjackets, Heated Rivalry) as Lucy
• Francesca Reale (Stranger Things, Do Revenge) as Bridget
• Roby Attal (The Haunting of Bly Manor, Sex Lives of College Girls) as Felix
• Jordan Rodrigues (Lady Bird) as Miles Lam
• Jude Wilson (Crew Girl, Fellow Travelers) as Zach
• Natalie Brown (The Strain, Sophie) as Christine
• James Tupper (Big Little Lies, Me and Orson Welles) as Ken
• Tom Barnett (Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man) as Peter
• Celia Owen (Moonshine, Finding Her Edge) as Joy
• Tom Barnett (Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, The Apprentice, The Handmaids Tale) as Glenn

Where is This Summer Will Be Different filmed?

The 10-episode series will be filmed in Toronto and on PEI. 

Who else is involved in This Summer Will Be Different?

The series is created by Dane Clark (Suze, One More Time) and Linsey Stewart (Workin’ Moms, North of North). It’s executive produced by Karen Maine, Clark, Stewart, Fortune, and Jennifer Kawaja (Sort Of, Wayward) and Elise Cousineau (Cardinal, Small Achievable Goals) for Sphere Media. Maine (Yes, God, Yes, Nobody Wants This), Jasmin Mozaffari (Ginny & Georgia, Firecrackers), and Fab Filippo (Sort Of, Save Me) direct the 10 episodes.

“When Carley first entrusted us with her captivating book, we knew we had to find the right team to deliver [for] her passionate fan base,” say Danielle Woodrow and Tara Woodbury, directors of content for Netflix Canada. “Developing this project with Dane, Linsey, and Sphere has been a dream, and we couldn’t have found better partners to bring this love letter to both Toronto and Prince Edward Island to the screen.”

What other Canadian series can I watch in the meantime?

This Summer Will Be Different joins Netflix’s growing slate of Canadian originals, including North of North, Wayward, Who Killed the Montreal Expos?, the upcoming The Granville Girls, and more. Since Netflix first launched its Canadian slate in 2025, domestic viewing of Canadian content on the service has grown by almost 20%. Globally, almost 65% of Netflix members watched Canadian content in 2025.

How many episodes are there of This Summer Will Be Different?

The series is comprised of 10 episodes.

When will This Summer Will Be Different be released?

The new series just kicked off filming on PEI and in Toronto. Stay tuned to Tudum to find out when you too can set sail for Canada.

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