To All the Boys (franchise)

Last updated
To All the Boys
To All the Boys I've Loved Before - film series logo.png
Official franchise logo
Created by Jenny Han
Original work To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
Owner Netflix
Years2018–present

To All the Boys is a franchise [1] consisting of American teenage romance installments, including three feature films and a spin-off television series, based on the titular trilogy of novels written by Jenny Han. Starring Lana Condor and Noah Centineo in the central roles, the plot centers around Lara Jean Song-Covey (Condor), a shy teenager who writes five letters—ones she never planned to send—to boys that she has had crushes on.

Contents

The films show her experiences after the letters are received by the young men.

The series is produced by Netflix and released exclusively through its streaming services. The first film, released in 2018 was critically acclaimed, and became one of the company's most-viewed original films. [2] Following its success, Netflix quickly began developing the two sequels, released in 2020 and 2021 respectively, both of which received positive reviews from critics. [3]

The franchise is continuing with a spin-off TV series, centered around Kitty Song-Covey, which was released in 2023. [4]

Origin

The book To All the Boys I've Loved Before was published in April 2014, and spent 40 weeks as a New York Times Best Selling young adult romance novel. [5] By June 2014, the novel's film adaptation rights were purchased by Overbrook Entertainment, the production company owned by Will Smith and James Lassiter. [6]

The second installment, P.S. I Still Love You , was released in May 2015, and five weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list, peaking sales at #2 in the Young Adult fiction section. [7] The third installment, Always and Forever, Lara Jean , was released in May 2017.

Films

FilmU.S. release dateDirectorScreenwriter(s)Producer(s)
To All the Boys I've Loved Before August 17, 2018 Susan Johnson Sofia AlvarezDougie Cash, Jordan Levin & Matthew Kaplan
To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You February 12, 2020 Michael Fimognari Sofia Alvarez & J. Mills Goodloe Matthew Kaplan
To All the Boys: Always and Forever February 12, 2021Katie Lovejoy

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

Film rights were attained in June 2014, with Susan Johnson serving as director from a screenplay by Sofia Alvarez. Lana Condor was cast to star as Lara Jean Song-Covey. [8] Noah Centineo was cast to co-star, with the rest of the film's roles the following month. [9] Production took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Portland, Oregon, USA. [10] [11] Photography took place from July 5, 2017, to August 4, 2017. [12]

To All the Boys I've Loved Before was released exclusively on Netflix on August 17, 2018. [13]

To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (2020)

Following the success of the first film, Netflix, Paramount Pictures and Awesomeness Films began to discuss a sequel. [14] The film was greenlit by December 2018, with Condor and Centineo signed to reprise their roles. [15] By March 2019, Michael Fimognari, cinematographer on the first film, was hired to make his directorial debut. Director of the first film, Susan Johnson, will serve as executive producer. [16] Jordan Fisher was cast as John Ambrose McClaren, a past love of Lara Jean's who joins the project, and complicates the two main characters' relationship. [17]

Filming took place once more in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and lasted from March 27, 2019, to May 10, 2019. [18] [19] To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, was released exclusively on Netflix on February 12, 2020. [20]

To All the Boys: Always and Forever (2021)

In August 2019, a third film was announced to be in development with confirmation that it was already into production. The feature adapts the author's third novel, with Fimognari once again serving as director, with a script by Katie Lovejoy. [21] [22]

Production was announced to have officially begun on July 15, 2019, two months after production on the second film wrapped. To All the Boys: Always and Forever was released exclusively on Netflix on February 12, 2021. The film was retitled from its tentative title, synonymous with the name of the novel. [23]

Television

SeriesSeasonEpisodesOriginally releasedNetworkShowrunnerWritersExecutive producers
XO, Kitty 110May 18, 2023 (2023-05-18) Netflix Jenny Han Jenny Han, Siobhan Vivian, Alanna Bennett, Emily Kim, Sarah Choi, Hanna Stanbridge, Chris Martin, Jessica O'Toole, Sascha Rothchild Matthew Kaplan, Jenny Han, Sascha Rothchild

In April 2021, a spin-off series featuring the character Kitty Song-Covey, was announced to be in development as a Netflix exclusive. Anna Cathcart reprises her role in the series, with a story centered around her search for love. Jenny Han serves as creator, writer, showrunner, and executive producer. The pilot episode will be co-written by Han and Siobhan Vivian. The series is intended to include 30-minute romantic comedy episodes. The project will be a joint-venture production between Awesomeness TV, ACE Entertainment, and Netflix Original Series. [24]

In October 2021, the series entered production and was officially ordered by Netflix with the title XO, Kitty . The plot will center around Kitty Song-Covey, who sees herself as an expert matchmaker, and thinks she has love figured out. Once she moves around the world to reunite with her long-distance boyfriend, she discovers she has a lot to learn about romance. Han and Sascha Rothchild will serve as co-showrunners, in addition to serving as an executive producers with Matt Kaplan. [25]

Main cast and characters

List indicators

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.

CharacterFilmsTelevision
To All the Boys
I've Loved Before
To All the Boys:
P.S. I Still Love You
To All the Boys:
Always and Forever
XO, Kitty
2018202020212023
Lara Jean Song-Covey Lana Condor
Isabelle Beech Y
Lana Condor
Momona Tamada Y
Lana Condor A
Peter Kavinsky Noah Centineo
Hunter Dillon Y
Noah CentineoNoah Centineo A
Katherine "Kitty" Song-Covey Anna Cathcart
Margot Song-Covey Janel Parrish  
Dr. Daniel "Dan" Covey John Corbett
Genevieve "Gen" Emilija Baranac
Rhys Fleming Y
Emilija Baranac 
Lucas JamesTrezzo Mahoro 
Christine "Chris" Madeleine Arthur  
Josh Sanderson Israel Broussard
Christian Michael Cooper Y
 
EmilyKelcey Mawema 
OwenJoey Pacheco 
KennyEdward Kewin 
Ms. Kavinsky Julia Benson  
John Ambrose-McClarenPavel Piddocke Y
Jordan Burtchett C
Jordan Fisher
Christian Scott Y
 
Edith "Stormy" McClaren-Sheehan  Holland Taylor  
Trevor Pike  Ross Butler  
Trina Rothschild  Sarayu Blue
Heather  Sofia Black-D'Elia  
Mr. Kavinsky  Henry Thomas  
Dae-heon Kim Jeon Ho-young Choi Min-young
Quincy "Q" Shabazian Anthony Keyvan
Yuri Han Gia Kim
Min Ho  Sang Heon Lee
Professor Alex Finnerty Peter Thurnwald
Juliana Regan Aliya
Florian Théo Augier Bonaventure
Director Jina Lim  Yunjin Kim
Professor Lee  Michael K. Lee
Madison Miller Jocelyn Shelfo
Mr. Kim  Lee Sung-wook
Mr. Han  Lee Hyung-chul

Additional production and crew details

TitleCrew/Detail
Composer(s)Cinematographer(s)Editor(s)Production companiesDistributing companyRunning time
To All the Boys I've Loved Before Joe Wong Michael Fimognari Joe Klotz & Phillip J. Bartell Awesomeness Films,
Netflix Original Films,
Overbrook Entertainment,
All The Boys Productions
Netflix 1 hr 39 mins
To All the Boys:
P.S. I Still Love You
Joe KlotzACE Entertainment,
Awesomeness Films,
Netflix Original Films,
Overbrook Entertainment,
All The Boys Productions
1 hr 41 mins
To All The Boys:
Always and Forever
Joe Klotz, Tamara Meem & Michelle Harrison1 hr 49 mins
XO, Kitty Jina Hyojin An & Shirley Song Lindsay George
and Sandra Valde-Hansen
Anthony Rosc, Katie Abel, Lindsay Armstrong, Nicole Artzer, Michelle Harrison, and Colin Johnson Awesomeness TV,
ACE Entertainment,
Netflix Original Series
6 hrs 3 mins
(30 mins/episode)

Critical reception

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
To All the Boys I've Loved Before 96% (68 reviews) [26] 64/100 (12 reviews) [27]
To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You 75% (71 reviews) [28] 54/100 (16 reviews) [29]
To All the Boys: Always and Forever 78% (68 reviews) [30] 65/100 (18 reviews) [31]
XO, Kitty 81% (26 reviews) [32] 68/100 (8 reviews) [33]

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