The series is loosely adapted from Judy Blume's novel 'Forever…', with the story relocated to 2018 Los Angeles and reimagined as a romantic teen drama by creator Mara Brock Akil.

Netflix commissioned the adaptation in November 2022, with Judy Blume herself serving as an executive producer alongside Susie Fitzgerald, Erika Harrison, Sara White, Regina King, Shana C. Waterman and Anthony Hemingway.

Regina King, who is also an executive producer on the show, directed the pilot episode.

For the second season, Malaika Guttoh joined the main cast as Ameena, while Avery Wills Jr. and Tre McBride were added in recurring roles.

The original score was composed by Gary Gunn and released by Netflix on May 2, 2025, while the soundtrack features artists such as Migos, Anderson Paak, Daft Punk, Travis Scott, SZA, Janelle Monáe, Tyler, The Creator and Childish Gambino.

The series received widespread critical acclaim, earning a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 35 critics and a Metacritic score of 84 out of 100, indicating 'universal acclaim'.

According to Showlabs data, Forever ranked first on Netflix in the United States during the week of May 12–18, 2025, and the show was renewed for a second season just days after release, on May 14, 2025.