Everything We Know So Far About Heated Rivalry Season 2

Wow, talk about a surprise! Heated Rivalry just exploded onto the scene – it’s become a huge hit, and honestly, I haven’t been this excited about a film in a long time. It grabbed me instantly, like watching a game-winning goal scored in the final seconds – the energy is just incredible.

As a total cinema and TV fanatic, I have to say this new hockey romance has completely taken over! It premiered in late November and quickly became one of the biggest hits of the year on HBO Max (it originally came from Canada’s Crave). Honestly, it’s everywhere – my social media is flooded with it, all my friends are texting about it, and even Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper were talking about it on New Year’s Eve! The actress Brandi Carlisle even admitted she couldn’t stop thinking about it when they asked her about it on air. It’s a real phenomenon!

Heated Rivalry, a series based on novels by Rachel Reid and developed for television by Jacob Tierney, centers on the intense connection between professional hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie). They initially share a secret sexual relationship spanning several years, which ultimately blossoms into a more profound romantic connection, despite playing for opposing teams.

The show is a huge hit, and its stars have quickly become popular. There’s been a lot of discussion about why it’s connecting with audiences, but the first season’s six episodes just aren’t enough. Good news: a second season is confirmed! Here’s what we’ve learned about what to expect.

Has Heated Rivalry been renewed for Season 2?

Good news for hockey fans! Shane Williams and Ilya Storrie will be back for another season of Heated Rivalry. Both Crave and HBO Max announced the renewal on December 12th, and HBO shared a video on Instagram hinting at more to come with the message, “The game’s not over.”

Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady shared that they’re thrilled with the show’s international success. In a statement, they expressed deep gratitude to everyone who supported the series and called the early renewal for a second season a great honor. They’re excited to create more of what fans enjoy.

What will Heated Rivalry Season 2 be about?

Honestly, the first season wrapped up with such a sweet moment – Shane and Ilya finally admitted they were in love while they were secluded at Shane’s cottage. It really made you root for them! They even started making plans for the future, like Ilya potentially moving to Ottawa to play hockey. It wasn’t just about being together, though; they cleverly thought about how to manage public perception, planning to launch a charity as a way to subtly show everyone they were more than just rivals on the ice. It felt like a really smart, hopeful ending.

Details about Season 2 are currently being kept secret, but it will be based on The Long Game, the sixth book in the series. This book continues the story of Shane and Ilya’s relationship. As the creator jokingly said when announcing the renewal, fans who want to know what happens should start reading the book now!

The new novel follows a couple who have been secretly together for a decade. Now, they’re facing a difficult choice: pursue their careers or prioritize their relationship.

Tierney shared with Entertainment Weekly that she’s excited to explore the evolving relationship in The Long Game. Now that the couple has committed to each other, the show will delve into what it looks like to actively choose each other through challenges and personal growth. As the stakes get higher, the show will examine how this tests the boundaries of their love and individual strengths. It’s a chance to see how people change when faced with long-term, intense situations, and how their love deepens as a result.

The first season of the show covered the first two books in the series, focusing on hockey player Scott Hunter and barista Kip Grady, and then on the story of Shane and Ilya. Characters from earlier books continue to appear throughout the series, so fans can likely expect to see Scott and Kip again in future seasons. According to the author, the popularity of Scott and Kip was a pleasant surprise, and the show is now exploring ways to include them more prominently. The author shared this information with Variety.

Reid also discussed her book, Role Model, which centers on a troubled hockey player, Troy Barrett, who is traded to Ottawa after a scandal. She pointed out that the storyline shares similarities with The Long Game, and expressed her desire to have both stories unfold concurrently, believing it’s the only way to effectively tell them.

I’ve been following the series closely, and I recently discovered some cool connections! Scott and Kip actually appear in a book called Common Goal, which tells the story of Kyle Swift, a bartender who gets involved with Eric Bennett, the goalie for the New York Admirals. Plus, Ryan Price, the main character from Tough Guy, was mentioned by Shane and Ilya way back in Season 1. Storrie suggested diving into those books if we want to get the full picture, and honestly, I think she’s right – I’m starting them now to get ahead!

Who’s returning for Heated Rivalry Season 2?

While it hasn’t been officially confirmed, Jason Sudeikis and Brett Goldstein are expected to return for another season. Goldstein hinted at what’s to come during an interview on The Tonight Show, explaining that while the first season focused on internal struggles, Season 2 will introduce new, powerful external threats and antagonists.

Although it’s not a definite indication of future events, Arnaud has considered how he’d like to respond to Scott publicly coming out – specifically, by kissing Kip on the ice after their championship win in Episode 5.

He shared that if there’s a second season, he’d like to explore the difficulties of their relationship translating to real life—specifically, how being with a very famous person impacts someone who didn’t seek that level of attention and is now thrust into the spotlight.

I recently spoke with showrunner Tierney, and it sounds like season two will really delve deeper into the characters we already love. He mentioned we’ll be spending more time with Ilya’s team in Ottawa, getting to know them better, and also seeing more of Shane’s teammate Hayden and his wife, Jackie. Importantly, we’ll also see more of Shane’s parents, Yuna and David. Tierney explained they’re hoping to build on the foundations laid in season one, expanding existing storylines and really exploring the origins of those character connections. Basically, he wants to enrich what we already know and pull at those narrative threads to see where they lead – which, if the show keeps its quality, sounds fantastic.

How many episodes will Heated Rivalry Season 2 be?

The first season had six episodes, and creator Tierney suggests the second season could be around the same length. He told Gold Derby that while there might not be more than six episodes, viewers can expect plenty of content. He also assured fans that everyone involved is dedicated to continuing the story, and that the second season will be well-made.

When will Heated Rivalry Season 2 be released?

If you’re still thinking about the show after the last episode, that’s understandable! As of December 2025, the writer hadn’t started working on the next season, but he assures fans the wait to return to the world of Heated Rivalry won’t be too long.

He told EW that the next installment won’t arrive exactly a year from now, but it will be released shortly after. He doesn’t expect it to take two years, or even eighteen months, and the team is working as quickly as possible while still maintaining a high quality product.

Will we see the Heated Rivalry stars anywhere else in the meantime?

I’ve been following the rollout of Heated Rivalry Season 1 internationally, and the cast – Williams and Storrie – have been absolutely killing it on the press circuit. They’ve made the late-night rounds – Williams just did his first appearance on The Tonight Show earlier this month, and Storrie’s heading to Late Night With Seth Meyers soon. They’re also hitting the awards shows, with Storrie already announcing nominees at the Actor Awards and both of them set to present at the Golden Globes. Honestly, the press tour itself has been a blast – there are fun little videos popping up everywhere, like them reading fan tweets, doing blind taste tests, and even doing dramatic readings from the show itself. It’s been a really delightful campaign to watch.

The actors also collaborated on an original three-part romantic fantasy story for the Quinn audio app. They played the roles of rival fae princes from different kingdoms who fall in love, despite it being forbidden.

Plus, if you’re rewatching the series from the start on HBO Max while waiting for new episodes, they’re always available.

2026-01-09 15:07