To All the Boys’ new spinoff is better than getting a fourth movie. The romantic comedy trilogy that began with To All the Boys I've Loved Before and focused on Lara Jean Covey and Peter Kavinski’s relationship, wrapped up the couple’s story in Netflix’s To All the Boys: Always and Forever. Of course, the final film in the franchise did leave a couple of things open-ended, but it definitively concluded Lara Jean’s story as she and Peter went off to college. Netflix is now developing a To All the Boys spinoff series and it’s the perfect way to carry on the franchise without retreading old storylines.
To All the Boys spinoff series doesn’t yet have a name and is only in the early stages of development. However, it will reportedly be focused on Kitty Covey (Anna Cathcart), Lara Jean’s youngest sister. In To All the Boys: Always and Forever, Kitty met a boy named Dee while visiting South Korea with her family. The pair began a long-distance relationship that spanned the majority of the film, with Kitty and Dee primarily communicating through text about baseball and the Harry Potter books. The spinoff series’ pilot is being co-written by To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before author Jenny Han, which makes sense considering she brought this universe to life.
While To All the Boys: Always and Forever closed the chapter on Lara Jean and Peter’s relationship, a spinoff series works better than having a fourth film because fans can revisit the characters and their world through an entirely new lens. Whereas a fourth movie would have likely created unnecessary drama for Lara Jean and Peter, a spinoff show breathes new life into the franchise that keeps it from getting stale and won't need to revisit characters whose storylines came to a natural end. And, since Kitty is Lara Jean’s sister, the series might offer occasional updates on how Lara Jean and Peter are doing without having to show them onscreen all the time.
Kitty has always been a standout in the franchise and a series focusing on her would change the narrative to center her growing pains as a teenager. It’s a fresh and inventive way to continue the Covey storyline with a character who’s already familiar to, and beloved by, fans. What’s more, Kitty has long been a supporting character in Lara Jean’s story, appearing from time to time to offer witty commentary, a pertinent observation, or to listen to Lara Jean express her feelings. Outside of her role as the youngest Covey sister, not much is known about Kitty’s personal life or what her school experience has been like. Having a To All the Boys spinoff works to expand upon her characterization, friendships, her relationship with her father, as well as how all these things might change now that she’s a teenager. Cathcart’s performance makes Kitty all the more memorable and there’s no doubt that a series focused on the character would be worthwhile.
It’s always possible Lana Condor and Noah Centineo could return as Lara Jean and Peter, respectively. Granted, it would likely be in a much smaller capacity since the spinoff series isn’t about them. Ultimately, that’s a good thing because their story has played itself out, with Always and Forever wrapping things up neatly for them. That said, To All the Boys getting a spinoff series with Kitty keeps things exciting with a fun character to focus on and new story avenues to tackle. References could be made to Lara Jean and Peter, perhaps a phone conversation between the sisters could provide some insight into how the beloved couple is doing. Either way, a spinoff series about Kitty is the best and most creative next step in the franchise.