'Heated Rivalry' reportedly filming seasons 2 and 3 back-to-back alongside Christmas movie

Heated Rivalry is reportedly expanding its television and theatrical plans, with the hit hockey romance set to film its second and third seasons back-to-back before moving on to a standalone Christmas film.

According to Deadline, the Crave series, starring Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, will have two six-episode seasons filmed consecutively. Production is expected to wrap towards the end of November or early December, with filming on the standalone movie scheduled to begin in December.

The upcoming film is reportedly being developed as a Christmas special or holiday-themed instalment, with a theatrical release planned for December 2027. However, it is not expected to feature Storrie and Williams as Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander. Instead, the story is said to centre on the other couple introduced in the first season, Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) and Kip Grady (Robbie G.K.), alongside additional characters from the series.

The reported storyline has a connection to Rachel Reid's bestselling Game Changers book series, which inspired the television adaptation. Reid previously wrote a short story titled Merry Christmas, Scott and Kip!, exploring the couple's first Christmas together. However, details about whether the film will directly adapt the story remain unclear.

Crave has not confirmed the reported projects, with a representative for the Canadian streaming service telling Deadline that there were no projects to announce.

Rumours about the possibility of back-to-back filming had been circulating for months, particularly after a leaked Cameo video featuring recurring guest star Dylan Walsh in August. In the video, Walsh suggested that the production might be making 12 episodes, leading fans to speculate that the second season would contain twice as many episodes as the first.

However, creator Jacob Tierney later dismissed the speculation, confirming during an appearance on Andy Cohen's SiriusXM show that Season 2 would consist of six episodes, just like its predecessor. Tierney also indicated that filming would be completed by the end of the year, although he did not clarify the full scope of the production.

Meanwhile, Heated Rivalry Season 2 is officially scheduled to premiere in spring 2027, with an April release reportedly being considered. The new season is expected to continue Shane and Ilya's relationship by adapting elements of Reid's sixth book, The Long Game. It is also expected to introduce another couple from the series, Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, portrayed by Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie.

Emily Hampshire, Brendan Morgan, David Tomlinson and Lauren Chan are among the previously announced additions to the second season's cast.

The reported theatrical plans come as the series continues to demonstrate its popularity beyond streaming. In the United States, the first season has received limited theatrical screenings through Regal, AMC and Cinemark, with paired episodes being shown in cinemas. According to figures cited by Deadline, 880 theatres had collected approximately $420,000 on Friday alone, putting the screenings on course for an estimated $1.3 million opening weekend.

Since premiering on November 28, Heated Rivalry has become a major pop culture phenomenon, transforming Storrie and Williams into international stars. The series follows rival professional hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov as their competitive relationship develops into a secret romance.

Although neither Crave nor Tierney has officially confirmed a third season or the standalone film, the reported production plans suggest that the franchise could be expanding well beyond its original six-episode format.