Heated Rivalry seems set to stay on the ice longer than audiences might have imagined. The hockey-set romance series, which has become a major draw for Crave, is reportedly already working on two new seasons in a single production block. Alongside Seasons 2 and 3, there is also a separate Christmas-themed project in development, planned as a film or a feature-length special.
The news, first reported by Deadline and picked up by the US press, should be taken for what it is: an indication from sources close to the production, rather than a detailed announcement officially released by the platform. Nevertheless, the picture emerging is fairly detailed. Both seasons would feature six episodes each, with overall filming expected to wrap between late November and early December. Production on the holiday project would begin immediately afterward.
For Crave, the decision to film the second and third seasons back-to-back offers an immediate industrial advantage. A continuous production makes it possible to keep sets, technical crews, and parts of the cast's availability locked in, avoiding a prolonged hiatus that could complicate restarting the production pipeline. It is a model primarily used when a franchise has already proven it has a reliable audience base and a narrative universe broad enough to sustain multiple installments.
Twelve episodes, split across two seasons
The key detail that triggered the initial speculation was the episode count. In August, Dylan Walsh, a recurring cast member on the series, suggested in a Cameo video that the team would be working on twelve episodes. The clip circulated quickly among fans, and the actor later remarked that he had landed in some hot water over the disclosure. At the time, many interpreted the comment as a potential expansion of Season 2.
The latest updates offer a different reading of that clue: those twelve episodes would instead be divided between a Season 2 and a Season 3, each consisting of six installments. In other words, the series is not simply stretching its upcoming return, but mapping out a broader narrative runway in advance.
For those who follow contemporary television drama, the distinction matters. An actual two-season order allows writers to spread character arcs and narrative twists over a longer horizon, rather than condensing everything into a single block. From a distribution standpoint, it also gives the platform room to calibrate the release schedule: season two can arrive without audiences having to wait years afterward to find out the resolution of lingering plotlines.
Season 2 of Heated Rivalry is expected in spring 2027, with April earmarked as the likely window. However, it remains unclear when Crave plans to launch the third, whether it will maintain an annual cadence or take advantage of back-to-back production to significantly shorten the gap between the two premieres. At the moment, there are no official dates for the third chapter.
The Christmas movie expands the world of Rachel Reid
The most distinctive project in the package is reportedly a standalone Christmas movie. Circulating reports point to filming scheduled for December and a potential release in December 2027. It would not necessarily be an extra episode tied to the series' broadcast schedule, but rather a standalone release with its own identity and a specific seasonal placement.
According to reports, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams — who play Ilya and Shane, respectively — are not expected to be the leads. The focus could shift to Scott and Kip, played by François Arnaud and Robbie G.K., without ruling out other characters from the narrative universe. This direction finds precedent in Rachel Reid's books: the author wrote the short story Merry Christmas, Scott and Kip!, centered on the couple's first Christmas.
However, this is neither a confirmation of an adaptation of that story nor an official synopsis. While it aligns with the available material and the ensemble potential of the Game Changers saga, the creative details of the film have yet to be publicly outlined. Its strategic appeal lies precisely in allowing the franchise room to breathe beyond the main duo, testing which characters can carry a standalone story.
In the audiovisual industry, holiday specials serve a purpose that goes beyond a spot on the calendar. They can keep audience interest alive between seasons, offer a lighter entry point for new viewers, and create a promotional opportunity distinct from the standard release cycle. In the case of Heated Rivalry, a film centered on another couple would also allow the universe to expand without taking space away from the Shane and Ilya storyline.
From the central couple to a broader ensemble
The first season built its following around the relationship between Shane and Ilya, but the next chapter is already set up to expand both the cast and the storylines. The second season is inspired by The Long Game, the sixth novel in Reid's series, and will introduce Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, played by Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie. Among the newcomers already announced are Emily Hampshire, Brendan Morgan, David Tomlinson, and Lauren Chan.
Turning to The Long Game makes it clear that the adaptation is not proceeding as a strictly linear transposition of the book order. It is a common choice when a series aims to preserve the emotional core of established leads while simultaneously incorporating figures from other parts of the saga. The advantage is greater freedom in building ongoing television serialization; the downside is that managing pacing and reader expectations becomes more delicate.
Producing two seasons in close succession also demands rigorous planning. Audiences, seeing the prospect of plenty of new content confirmed, might expect quick answers regarding all the introduced characters. However, filming during the same timeframe does not guarantee that post-production, marketing strategy, and distribution windows will move at the same pace. Crave will have to decide how much to pace out the material to turn current interest into an enduring presence in its catalog.
For now, the concrete fact is the ambition of the plan: twelve episodes across two seasons and an additional holiday project, all tied to the same universe. The missing confirmations mainly concern the final cast of the special, its exact format, and the schedule for the third season. If this information is made official, Heated Rivalry will go from a series hit to a property capable of supporting different formats, a transition that is anything but a given for a television romance.
