‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 2 Officially Begins Filming, and Fans Already Have Their First Look

Few shows have gone from niche adaptation to full-blown phenomenon quite like ‘Heated Rivalry’ did in its debut season. What started as a queer hockey romance adapted from a mid-series novel turned into one of the most talked-about breakout hits of the year, and the appetite for more has only intensified since.

That anticipation reached a new milestone this week. Production on the second season officially kicked off, with the show’s team confirming filming has begun and sharing the first behind-the-scenes glimpse from set, a clapperboard photo simply marking “Day 1.”

Series stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are back in Toronto reprising their roles as Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, the rival professional hockey players whose secret relationship became the emotional core of Season 1. Both actors have already been spotted around the city as filming ramps up, feeding into the wave of excitement that’s followed the show since its first season became an international hit.

Season 2 will primarily draw from ‘The Long Game,’ the sixth novel in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers book series and the direct sequel focused on Shane and Ilya’s ongoing relationship. Creator Jacob Tierney has also indicated that material from ‘Role Model’ will factor into the season, with recent casting news suggesting elements of ‘Tough Guy’ may be woven in as well.

Tierney is once again directing the season, but this time he’s sharing writing duties with Mike Goldbach after handling the entire first season’s script solo. New cast additions include Charlie Gillespie as Troy Barrett, along with actors set to play new characters Wyatt Hayes and Luca Haas, expanding the world established in Season 1.

Given how closely the show follows its source material, Tierney has been candid about how much fans can already piece together on their own. “What’s so funny about the level of secrecy is like there’s a book — you can just look at it,” Tierney told The Hollywood Reporter, adding that the novels reveal roughly 90% of what viewers are curious about heading into the new season.

That transparency comes with its own pressure. Season 1’s success turned ‘Heated Rivalry’ into a genuine phenomenon almost overnight, and Tierney acknowledged that navigating expectations this time around is a different experience entirely.

“I’ve never experienced fandom like this before, and I have to just trust myself the way I trusted myself last time,” Tierney said in the same interview, framing his approach to Season 2 as staying true to his instincts rather than chasing the noise surrounding the show’s rapidly growing audience.

That growing fanbase has already made its presence felt around the Toronto shoot, prompting the production to issue a direct request. Producers asked fans to give the cast and crew the space needed to work if they happen to come across any filming locations, a sign of just how closely followers are tracking the show’s return.

‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 2 is currently targeting a Spring 2027 release, set to premiere simultaneously on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in the United States and other territories. That timeline gives fans a clearer sense of how long the wait will be, even as the first set photos start trickling out.

With filming officially underway and a book series already mapping out much of the emotional terrain ahead, all signs point to Season 2 delivering on the promise that made the first season such a runaway success. Whether the show can capture lightning in a bottle twice remains the biggest question heading into production.

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