‘Heated Rivalry’ fans assemble: Season 2 gets major update as filming window revealed - everything we know
'Heated Rivalry' fans have every reason to rejoice. If there were a chance to stay in Shane Hollander's cottage earlier, now they have a major Season 2 update. The hit sports romance drama from Crave was a global hit with US audiences catching it on HBO Max. Earlier on Thursday, the show's creator, Jacob Tierney, and executive producer Brendan Brady spoke to CBS Mornings' Gayle King about the much-awaited second instalment. Tierney revealed that the writing was in progress, with filming set to begin in August. King added that 'Heated Rivalry' will be expected to release Season 2 in April 2027.
"There will be more Heated Rivalry on your TVs, like, truly, as soon as humanly possible,” Tierney said on the show. Brady added that "like the best parts of this show," fans should “enjoy the yearn” of waiting for the show’s next edition.
'Heated Rivalry' follows Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), two hockey stars who fall in love but keep their relationship a secret for years. The first season, comprising eight episodes, was one of last year's blockbuster hits, following a gripping finale. From the high-octane hockey sequences to the steamy sequences between the pair, the series has been regarded as one of the best LGBTQ+ series. The cast alongside Storrie and Williams includes Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, Dylan Walsh, Sophie Nélisse, François Arnaud, Robbie G.K., and Christina Chang.
Tierney's latest update comes on the back of Storrie's comments on Today. Speaking to Craig Melvin last month on the morning show, "I think Jacob's still writing it," he said. "I think we're going to be filming, I don't know when, exactly." When Melvin asked if 'soon' meant as early as this year's summer, "Yeah, I think about then," Storrie said.
Williams wasn't far behind with a bit of a tease for fans ahead of Season 2. "If Season 1 is like an internal battle, Season 2 is more of an external battle," he told Jimmy Fallon on 'The Tonight Show'. In the sixth book of Reid's 'Game Changers' series, Ilya and Shane's stories pick up from the events of the first. The book follows their individual pro hockey careers as they continue to keep their relationship a secret.
It remains to be seen whether the series will deviate slightly from Reid's book. The 'Long Game' fast-forwards their relationship to 10 years, and that is a massive time jump from a Season 1 perspective. The book's synopsis sees the protagonists question the choice between love and the sport. Safe to say, this will add more drama and intrigue in the upcoming season while also adding more layers to Shane and Ilya's relationship.
At the time of writing, there is no official logline for Season 2, considering the show is still in the writing room. However, with production set to go on floors in August, expect a first look and a synopsis in the second half of the year.
All episodes of 'Heated Rivalry' season 1 are streaming on HBO Max.
