Heated Rivalry Season 2 doesn’t premiere until spring 2027, but its cast list—and our anticipation—keeps growing as filming continues in the meantime.
The hit Crave series, which also airs on HBO in the U.S., is based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers book series, following hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, played by beloved returning leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie.
(Heated Rivalry via HBO)
Also read about: 55+ of the Best Quotes From All 3 Seasons of Euphoria
Seasons 2 and 3 Are Filming Back-to-Back, Plus a Movie
There’s even more Heated Rivalry on the way than we realized. Deadline reports that Seasons 2 and 3 are currently filming back-to-back, with each season reportedly running six episodes.
Once the two seasons wrap at the end of November or beginning of December, a standalone Heated Rivalry movie is reportedly set to start shooting in December. Sources describe it as a Christmas or holiday-themed film, and it will reportedly center on Season 1 couple Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) and Kip Grady (Robbie G.K.) rather than Shane and Ilya.
Rachel Reid also wrote a short story called “Merry Christmas, Scott and Kip!” about the pair’s first Christmas together, though it’s unclear whether the film will adapt it directly.
Crave hasn’t officially confirmed Season 3 or the movie yet, so we’ll be watching for an announcement.
What Happened in Season 1
The first season introduced Shane and Ilya as rival hockey players bound by ambition and an undeniable attraction neither of them fully understood.
What began as a secret fling between two fresh-faced rookies evolved into a much longer journey of love, denial and self-discovery—and one of the most iconic TV romance stories in recent years.
The Latest Round of New Cast Members
Six new actors just joined the season: Brendan Morgan as Zane Boodram, David Tomlinson as Cody Kent, Gerry Dee as Coach Cooper, Michelle Mylett as Lisa, Lauren Chan as Gen and Nick Stahl as Curtis Barrett.
Notably, David Tomlinson’s character was renamed from Dallas Kent in the books to Cody Kent for the show.
Also read about: Everything We Know About Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 3
More Big Names Joining From Film and TV
The season also recently added Milla Jovovich as Dr. Galina Molchalina, Kevin Zegers as Coach Wiebe and Paul Gross as Commissioner Roger Crowell.
Daniel Diemer, known for playing Tyson on Percy Jackson and the Olympians, will star as hockey player Ryan Price, with Shaheen Jafargholi playing his love interest, musician Fabian Salah.
Other Confirmations So Far
The rest of the ever-growing cast includes Justice Smith, Charlie Gillespie, Robert Naylor, Sophie Nélisse, Emily Hampshire, Edvin Ryding, François Arnaud, Christina Chang, Dylan Walsh and Priyanka, among others.
With this many names attached, Season 2 is clearly expanding well beyond its original leads, and we can’t wait to fall in love with all of these new characters.
Also read about: Everything We Know About Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice Series So Far
What Season 2 Is About
The new season draws largely from The Long Game, the sixth book in Rachel Reid’s series, following Shane and Ilya as they navigate their relationship after being traded to hockey teams that are closer together geographically than before.
When It Premieres
Heated Rivalry Season 2 is set to premiere in spring 2027 on HBO Max, with an April launch likely.
Lead actor Hudson Williams recently teased the new season, admitting it felt surreal returning to the role and joking he worried he was doing “an impression” of his own character, Shane.
With this many new faces joining the world of Game Changers, Season 2 is shaping up to be a much bigger, more ambitious ensemble story than its first season.
For more TV news, click HERE to learn everything you need to know about Widow’s Bay‘s massive Emmys sweep.
