To All the Boys is a franchise 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—the ones she never planned to send—to boys that she has had crushes on. 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. Following its success, Netflix quickly began developing the two sequels, released in 2020 and 2021 respectively, both of which received positive reviews from critics.
The franchise is continuing with a spin-off television series, centered around Kitty Song-Covey, which was released in 2023.
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. By June 2014, the novel's film adaptation rights were purchased by Overbrook Entertainment, the production company owned by Will Smith and James Lassiter.
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. The third installment, Always and Forever, Lara Jean, was released in May 2017.
Films Film U.S. release date Director Screenwriter(s) Producer(s) To All the Boys I've Loved Before Susan Johnson Sofia Alvarez Dougie Cash, Jordan Levin & Matthew Kaplan To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You Michael Fimognari Sofia Alvarez & J. Mills Goodloe Matthew Kaplan To All the Boys: Always and Forever Katie 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. Noah Centineo was cast to co-star, with the rest of the film's roles the following month. Production took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Portland, Oregon, USA. Photography took place from July 5, 2017, to August 4, 2017.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before was released exclusively on Netflix on August 17, 2018.
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. The film was greenlit by December 2018, with Condor and Centineo signed to reprise their roles. 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. 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.
Filming took place once more in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and lasted from March 27, 2019, to May 10, 2019. To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, was released exclusively on Netflix on February 12, 2020.
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.
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.
Television
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 wanting to learn more about her late mother and the school she attended in Seoul. Jenny Han serves as the show's 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.
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 to South Korea to reunite with her long-distance boyfriend, she later discovers that she has a lot to learn about friendship and romance. Han and Sascha Rothchild will serve as co-showrunners, in addition to serving as an executive producers with Matt Kaplan.
Cast and characters
Character Films Television I've Loved Before P.S. I Still Love You Always and Forever XO, Kitty Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 2018 2020 2021 2023 2025 2026 Lara Jean Song-Covey Lana Condor Lana Condor Lana Condor Peter Kavinsky Noah Centineo Noah Centineo Noah Centineo Katherine "Kitty" Song-Covey Anna Cathcart Margot Song-Covey Janel Parrish Janel Parrish Daniel "Dan" Covey John Corbett John Corbett Genevieve "Gen" Mitchell Emilija Baranac Emilija Baranac Lucas James Trezzo Mahoro Christine "Chris" Donati Madeleine Arthur Emily Nussbaum Kelcey Mawema John Ambrose-McClaren Pavel Piddocke Jordan Fisher Trina Rothschild Sarayu Blue Sarayu Blue Trevor Pike Ross Butler Young Ja Song "Grandma" Ae Yon Han Ae Yon Han Dae-heon "Dae" Kim Jeon Ho-young Choi Min-yeong Quincy "Q" Shabazian Anthony Keyvan Yuri Han Gia Kim Min-ho Moon Sang Heon Lee Alex Finnerty Peter Thurnwald Juliana Porter Regan Aliyah Professor Daniel Lee Michael K. Lee Madison Miller Jocelyn Shelfo Mr. Kim Lee Sung-wook Mihee Yoon Sunny Oh Eunice Kang Ryu Han-bi Young Moon Philippe Lee Esther Shim/Stella Cho Audrey Huynh Praveena Bhakti Sasha Bhasin Jintaek "Jin" Lee Joshua Hyunho Lee Jiwon Ahn Hojo Shin
Additional production and crew details Title Crew/Detail Composer(s) Cinematographer(s) Editor(s) Production companies Distributing company Running 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 Klotz ACE 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 Harrison 1 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
Critical reception
Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic To All the Boys I've Loved Before 96% (68 reviews) 64/100 (12 reviews) To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You 75% (71 reviews) 54/100 (16 reviews) To All the Boys: Always and Forever 78% (68 reviews) 65/100 (18 reviews) XO, Kitty 82% (28 reviews) 69/100 (10 reviews)
References