Heated Rivalry Is Heading to Theaters, Seriously

Did you ever think you’d get to watch Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) fall in love on the big screen? Well, get ready, because Heated Rivalry is heading to theaters! And no, we’re not talking about a new movie adaptation of Rachel Reid’s beloved book series. We’re talking about a limited theatrical release of the entire first season of the hit queer hockey romance, giving fans a chance to experience all six episodes together in cinemas.

If you’re wondering how that’s going to work, here’s the deal: special marathon screenings will bring Season 1 to theaters across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. So, yes, you could soon be watching Shane and Ilya’s years-long journey from secret hookups to something much bigger on a cinema screen, surrounded by fellow fans who understand exactly why these two have taken over our lives.

In the United States, Regal Cinemas will lead the theatrical rollout, with screenings at more than 275 Regal locations beginning November 6. The wider distribution will reach more than 650 theaters across the country, including AMC and Cinemark locations. Canadian fans can look forward to screenings at Cineplex Cinemas, while audiences in the UK will be able to catch the series at Cineworld and Picturehouse Cinemas. Meanwhile, Australian and New Zealand fans will get their turn beginning December 5, thanks to distributor Madman.

The theatrical event is part of a worldwide celebration marking the first anniversary of Heated Rivalry, which has grown from a steamy hockey romance into a full-blown cultural phenomenon. Created by Jacob Tierney and based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers book series, the Crave original follows rival hockey superstars Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov as they navigate a relationship that becomes increasingly difficult to keep secret. Between professional competition, personal expectations, and feelings neither man can easily ignore, their story has given queer audiences a romance worth cheering for both on and off the ice.

And honestly, there’s something pretty exciting about getting to experience this story in a theater. Heated Rivalry has inspired plenty of online screaming, fan edits, and conversations about Shane and Ilya, but watching the season alongside other people who are just as invested could make the experience feel like a celebration of its own. We’re talking about a show that has helped put a queer love story front and center in a genre where LGBTQ+ representation has historically been far too limited. Seeing that story get a theatrical event of this scale is another reminder of just how much room there is for queer romances to find their audience.

The series has also made an impressive awards-season impact, winning 16 Canadian Screen Awards earlier this year, including Best Drama Series. And with Season 2 expected to arrive in 2027, this theatrical run offers fans a chance to revisit the beginning of Shane and Ilya’s story while we wait to see what comes next.

Of course, ticket information varies by market, so here’s where you can find the details for your local screenings. In the US, advance tickets are already available at theater box offices, through mobile apps, and at Regal’s website. In Canada, participating Cineplex locations and showtimes are expected to be available by the end of the day (today, October 22) at Cineplex.com. UK fans can find screening information through Cineworld. For Australia and New Zealand, further details from Madman have yet to be announced, so keep an eye out for updates.

For now, we can officially add another item to the Heated Rivalry experience: watching the boys make us emotional on a giant screen. As if we needed another excuse to fall for them all over again.

---

Heated Rivalry Season 2 is set to premiere in Spring 2027. Season 1 of Heated Rivalry is available to stream on Crave (Canada), HBO Max (U.S. & Other Regions), Sky (New Zealand, UK), and Movistar Plus+ (Spain). Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!

Featured Image: Image Courtesy of Crave and HBO Max.