Will François Arnaud return for ‘Heated Rivalry 2’? Actor shares thoughts on Scott and Kip’s next chapter
Excitement around ‘Heated Rivalry’ surged almost instantly after Crave and HBO Max officially confirmed the series would return for a second season. Now, viewers are eager to know which characters, romances, and familiar faces from Rachel Reid’s ‘Game Changers’ universe will make the cut this time around. At the center of nearly every discussion are Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, the fiercely competitive hockey rivals-turned-lovers played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. Alongside questions about Shane and Ilya’s future, fans are also debating whether Season 2 will continue the franchise’s ensemble approach by spotlighting additional couples.
Season 1 expanded beyond its main romance by giving meaningful screen time to Scott Hunter and Kip Grady, portrayed by François Arnaud and Robbie G.K. Many viewers are hoping the new season will once again bring in a secondary storyline. Storrie and Williams previously revealed in a GQ Hype feature that they signed contracts covering three seasons of ‘Heated Rivalry’ when they were cast. While that detail reassured fans at first, industry realities suggest contracts alone don’t guarantee future story focus. Television history is filled with examples of actors signing multi-season deals that never fully materialize if a show underperforms.
Even so, a third season, should it happen, wouldn’t necessarily mean Shane and Ilya remain the primary focus forever. Shows like ‘Bridgerton’ have proven that leading characters can transition into supporting roles while new couples take center stage. Given how passionately fans have embraced Shane and Ilya, many expect a similar balance if ‘Heated Rivalry’ continues beyond Season 2. Hints about the direction of Season 2 came in a promotional video shared by HBO Max. In the clip, Storrie and Williams open a package containing a hockey puck labeled “Heated Rivalry season 2.” Without hesitation, Williams described the upcoming season as “hotter, wetter, longer.”
The real confirmation, however, came moments later when Storrie revealed that Season 2 will adapt ‘The Long Game,’ the sixth and final installment in Reid’s ‘Game Changers’ series and a direct sequel to Shane and Ilya’s love story. While the full cast list for the upcoming season has not yet been announced, several familiar faces are widely expected to return. François Arnaud’s Hunter, whose relationship with Grady helped pave the way for Shane and Ilya’s story, remains a key figure in Reid’s novels. Scott continues to appear in later books, including ‘The Long Game.’ Also, Arnaud offered an honest and uncertain perspective during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
When asked how he hopes his character’s story might continue, he said, “Listen, I have no idea, and I think no one does. I don’t think even Jacob does, to be honest. I think he’s a bit shell-shocked by the whole thing. He’s planning to take time off the holidays and then go back and start writing in January.” He further added, “So far, the first season has been a faithful adaptation of the books. Now, whether that changes for the future, who’s to say. The conversations I had with him were prior to all this, six weeks ago or two months ago. I don’t know whether we get our own little thing.”
