Sarah Michelle Gellar to Star in Twisty Drama Series BAD SUMMER PEOPLE Based on Hit Novel
Sarah Michelle Gellar is stepping into a world of secrets, scandals, and salty summer grudges in a brand-new series that sounds like it was made for your next binge-watch.
Gellar, best known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and most recently appearing in Dexter: Original Sin, has signed on to star in and executive produce Bad Summer People, an adaptation of Emma Rosenblum’s best-selling novel.
A+E Studios and Linden Productions are developing the series internally before shopping it to networks or streamers. The project is being written and executive produced by Cara DiPaolo (No Good Deed), with Riva Marker, Deanna Barillari, and JoAnne Colonna also on board as executive producers.
“Set in the seemingly perfect town of Salcombe, Fire Island, the series unravels after a body is found off the boardwalk. At the center of it all? Frenemies Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker, along with their husbands, childhood friends Sam and Jason, who’ve summered on the island together for years. But this season, old grudges, well-hidden secrets, and personal betrayals bubble up to the surface, threatening to blow everything apart.”
It’s already being compared to The White Lotus, and it seems like a great project for Gellar to jump on board. Tana Jamieson, Co-Head and EVP of Creative Affairs at A+E Studios, is confident this series is going to hit hard. She said:
“Bad Summer People is a deliciously sharp and addictive series. Emma’s novel practically leapt off the page, and in Cara’s hands—alongside a dream team of producers at Linden and the iconic Sarah Michelle Gellar—it becomes something even more unforgettable,” she said. “This is the kind of bold, premium storytelling we’re proud to champion at A+E Studios.”
Gellar, who’s also set to return for Dexter: Original Sin Season 2, has been steadily leaning into darker, more complex roles in recent years. On top of this series, she’s also attached to a Buffyverse pilot at Hulu from 20th Television and Searchlight TV, directed by Chloé Zhao where she’ll reprise her iconic role.
Source: Deadline