What starts as a secret fling between rival hockey players ignites into an all-consuming love story.
Heated Rivalry, a six-part romantic drama set in the high-stakes world of professional hockey is coming to HBO Max.
Originally created for Canada’s Crave, by award-winning Canadian writer-director-producer Jacob Tierney (Letterkenny, Shoresy), and adapted from Rachel Reid’s best-selling Game Changers book series, Heated Rivalry chronicles the story of rival hockey players Shane and Ilya. What starts as a secret fling ignites into an all-consuming blaze, culminating in a powerful love story.
In Heated Rivalry, Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) are two of the biggest stars in Major League Hockey, bound by ambition, rivalry, and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understands. What begins as a secret fling between two fresh-faced rookies evolves into a years-long journey of love, denial, and self-discovery. Over the next eight years, the pair chase glory on the ice while struggling to navigate their feelings off it. Torn between the sport they live for and the love they can’t ignore, Shane and Ilya must decide if there is room in their fiercely competitive world for something as fragile and as powerful as real love.
“From the very first chapter, I knew I wanted to bring Heated Rivalry to life,” said Tierney “This beautiful love story is raw, honest, and real, and deserves to be told with care. We’re beyond excited that fans in Australia are now able to see this epic, funny, sexy, and deeply romantic story on screen.”
Rachel Reid’s critically acclaimed Game Changers series spans six novels and has earned a spot on the USA Today bestseller list. Praised by major outlets including The Washington Post, the series has become a fan favourite, consistently ranking in Amazon’s Top 15 Gay Romance titles.
Produced by Accent Aigu Entertainment in association with Bell Media’s Crave, Heated Rivalry is distributed internationally by Sphere Abacus. The series also stars François Arnaud, Robbie G.K., Christina Chang, Dylan Walsh, Sophie Nélisse and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova.
Double episode then weekly from 28 November on HBO Max.