There's more good news in store for Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, but this time, it's not about their success on the ice or winning another cup. After taking the world by storm with their steamy love story, Heated Rivalry has scored an inevitable early renewal for season 2!
The Crave original series will remain part of the HBO Max family, though the streamer still won't be on board as a producer, with the announcement of the season 2 renewal on Dec. 12. Heated Rivalry season 2 will likely be released sometime in 2026 as the series was included as part of the streamer's advanced look at the year of new shows to come that also includes House of the Dragon, Dune: Prophecy, and more.
Before the making it official, HBO Max hinted at the renewal early on Dec. 12 when the streamer dropped a preview of their 2026 programming slate set to be teased throughout the day, beginning with a first-look at Euphoria season 3. The renewal for Heated Rivalry season 2 was announced at 12 p.m. ET as the third reveal on HBO Max's docket, but fans had long seen the news coming.
Obviously, it goes without saying that Heated Rivalry's popularity soared off the charts from the moment HBO Max picked up the Canadian sports romance for distribution in the United States. Even before the show premiered, fans of Rachel Reid's book and its companion series had built up super-charged excitement for the series adaptation that spilled over into the uninitiated.
The series adapts the second book in Reid's Game Changers series and centers on Canadian and Russian hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) as their conflict on the ice as the hot, new star players of their respective teams leads to a secret romance. Fellow closeted hockey star Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) also plays a very important role.
Since the show's seismic arrival on the scene, series leads and relative newcomers Storrie and Williams have shot to overnight superstardom. Heated Rivalry marked the first series regular roles for both actors, and the season 2 renewal solidifies their status as rising stars who will surely become highly in-demand and sought after talents in Hollywood — and deservedly so.
Following the Heated Rivalry season 2 announcement, more updates are sure to arrive in the coming weeks and especially in the first few months of the new year. We'll learn much more about casting, filming, the episode count, and what everyone wants to know, the release date, at a later date. For now, let's revel in the excitement that Shane and Ilya are coming back very soon!