Freeform Picks Up Drama “Last Summer” to Pilot

Freeform has announced they’ve picked up the one-hour drama Last Summer to pilot. The potential series hails from Bert V. Royal and tells the story of two teenage girls across three mid 1990s summers.

What’s happening:

  • Freeform has picked up the one-hour drama Last Summer to pilot.
  • Freeform’s executive vice president, Original Programming and Development, Lauren Corrao made the announcement earlier today.

Show synopsis:

  • Last Summer is an unconventional thriller that takes place over three summers—’93, ’94, ’95—in a small Texas town when a beautiful popular teen, Kate, is abducted and, seemingly unrelated, a girl, Jeanette, goes from being a sweet, awkward outlier to the most popular girl in town and, by ’95, the most despised person in America.”
  • Each episode is told from the POV of one of the two main girls (Jeanette and Kate), which will have the viewers loyalties constantly shifting as more information is revealed.

Creative team:

  • Last Summer comes from eOne and Iron Ocean Productions.
  • The pilot is executive produced by:
    • Bert V. Royal (Easy A, Recovery Road)
    • Jessica Biel
    • Michelle Purple (The Sinner, Limetown)
    • Max Winkler (Jungleland, Flower)
  • Royal also wrote the pilot, and Winkler will serve as director.

What they’re saying:

  • Lauren Corrao, executive vice president, Original Programming and Development, Freeform: “At Freeform, we are constantly looking to tell bold stories that drive cultural conversation—Last Summer will do just that. Bert’s incredible character detail and unique voice coupled with Max’s distinctive vision is sure to leave our viewers on the edge of their seats. We are also incredibly honored to have Jessica and Michelle’s female-forward prowess contributing to this uniquely layered show.”
  • Writer and Executive Producer, Bert V. Royal: “I’m so happy to be back at Freeform with an amazing team of eOne, Max, Michelle and Jessica by my side. We’re really excited to tell this story that we hope will spark some interesting conversations about how our society can upend a person’s life and send them to the hell of infamy before—and sometimes even, despite—the facts.”