Heated Rivalry expands with two new seasons and holiday movie

Season 2 adapts The Long Game and Role Model

The upcoming second season of Heated Rivalry will consist of six episodes, as reported by Bleedingcool.

Production for the second season is scheduled to conclude in late November or early December 2026. The team is currently filming the season alongside the third installment.

Standalone holiday movie scheduled for 2027 release

A standalone holiday feature film is currently in development. Production on the movie begins in early December 2026.

The project is scheduled for a theatrical release in December 2027. The story is inspired by the short story "Merry Christmas, Scott and Kip!" by author Rachel Reid.

The narrative depicts the first Christmas shared by the characters Scott and Kip. The film focuses on Scott, played by François Arnaud, and Kip, played by Robbie G.K., alongside other characters from the Game Changers universe.

Expanded cast features new additions and character shifts

The holiday film will not feature the main Season 1 couple, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who portray Ilya and Shane respectively, are not expected to appear in the movie.

The holiday project focuses on Scott Hunter, played by François Arnaud, and Kip Grady, played by Robbie G.K.. Season 2 of the series introduces several new cast members.

Justice Smith joins the cast as Harris Drover, and Charlie Gillespie plays Troy Barrett. Brendan Morgan as Zane Boodram, David Tomlinson as Cody Kent, and Lauren Chan as Gen also join the production.

The ensemble also features Callan Potter as Hayden, Benjamin Roy as JJ, and Kamilla Kowal as Jackie.

Other cast members for the production are Daniel Diemer as Ryan Price, Shaheen Jafargholi as Fabian Salah, Kevin Zegers as Coach Wiebe, Paul Gross as Commissioner Roger Crowell, and Milla Jovovich as Dr. Galina Molchalina. The cast includes Gerry Dee as Coach Cooper, Michelle Mylett as Lisa, and Nick Stahl as Curtis Barrett.

Creator Jacob Tierney on the show's narrative approach

Creator Jacob Tierney said the series does not rely on secrets. He told Bleeding Cool, "This is not the usual suspects.

Tierney stated the show is built on "feelings and sensation" and is "a very visceral show". He added that the source material contains 90 percent of the information viewers want. "It's very sensual in that way, and it's all in the execution of it," Tierney said.

Production timeline and season two premiere

Filming for the new seasons should wrap in late November or early December 2026, and the holiday movie will film in December 2026. Recurring guest star Dylan Walsh previously leaked that production was filming 12 episodes in an August Cameo video.

The second season will likely premiere in April 2027.

Series background and streaming availability

The television series is based on the Game Changers novels written by Rachel Reid. Season 1 adapted the second book, Heated Rivalry, and incorporated elements from the first book, Game Changer.

Hudson Williams stars as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie stars as Ilya Rozanov, who portray international hockey players in a secret relationship. The show is available to stream on Crave and HBO Max.