Back in December 2025, a little Canadian show called Heated Rivalry unexpectedly snowballed into the hottest show in the world. I mean literally: the show follows Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, two young hockey players on rival teams, as they navigate a secret romance that defies the boundaries of their sport. Despite having only six episodes, the show captivated audiences worldwide with its electric chemistry, the magnetic push-and-pull tension between Shane and Ilya, and the tender evolution of their relationship beneath the intensity of their rivalry.
When was Heated Rivalry renewed for Season 2?
As episodes aired each week, Heated Rivalry gained more traction on social media and its viewership multiplied. So it was only natural that Canadian streamer Crave and its distributor HBO Max announced Season 2 on December 12, 2025, before the first season finale. The series’ leading men Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie revealed the exciting news on an Instagram reel by opening a gift box with a hockey puck. The caption says “The game’s not over.”
What will Season 2 be about?
The second season is set to adapt the sixth book The Long Game, which continues to follow Shane and Ilya. In the book, Shane and Ilya are still keeping their romance a secret ten years in. They find themselves struggling to hide their relationship, but coming out could jeopardise their careers. The book’s synopsis reads: “It’s time for them to decide what’s most important – hockey or love.”
While the plot of Season 2 is still under development, series creator, writer, and director Jacob Tierney has said he plans to include an emotional scene from the Heated Rivalry book. In the book’s epilogue, Shane comes out to his teammates in a retrospective flashback, and Tierney wants to bring it to life. “I can’t have somebody tell you about a thing that important that happened,” he said in a podcast. “You have to see it. You have to experience it for yourself.”
Who will be in Season 2?
An official cast hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s safe to assume that Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, who play Shane and Ilya, will return for Season 2. It’s likely that other major cast members like François Arnaud, Robbie G. K., Christina Chang, Sophie Nélisse and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova would also return for the second season. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for any new additions to the cast.
What music will be included?
While Season 1 had its own score, the show also featured a few needle drop songs as well. Wet Leg’s “Mangetout”, Wolf Parade’s “I’ll Believe in Anything” and most notably t.A.T.u.’s “All the Things She Said” all saw higher streaming numbers after being included in Heated Rivalry.
Tierney has said on a podcast that he intended to ask Carly Rae Jepsen for an original song for season 1, but “didn’t even try” due to a tight budget. But he did add that he’ll “definitely be asking next time.” At the Palm Springs International Film Festival, Miley Cyrus expressed interest in making music for the second season. Jacob, you better make some calls!
When will Season 2 drop?
Tierney, who wrote every episode of Season 1, has said he has begun writing Season 2, but will possibly bring in other writers to help him. He is set to direct every episode as well, and revealed that the second season will start filming this August. When Crave announced the second season, they aimed for an April 2027 release. Best believe we’ll be sitting here waiting patiently.
Editor
Matt ChauCredit
Lead image: via IMDb
