Heated Rivalry Was Renewed For A 'Hotter, Wetter, Longer' Season 2, And The Stars Reacted In A Very Fitting Way

From left to right Ilya talking into a mic and Shane looking forward during a press confrence in Heated Rivalry.

(Image credit: HBO Max)

Considering how quickly Heated Rivalry took the 2025 TV schedule by storm, it comes as no surprise that it scored a second season very fast. Halfway through the show’s freshman season, it was revealed that the book-to-screen adaptation of Rachel Reid’s series of novels would get to continue on screen. So, in celebration of the Season 2 renewal, the series’ stars, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, reacted in a fitting and funny way.

On the same day fans were able to watch Episode 4 of Heated Rivalry, the news about Season 2 broke. In a video posted to Instagram by HBO Max and the leads, we got to see Storrie, who plays Russian hockey player Ilya Rozanov, and Williams, who plays Canadian hockey player Shane Hollander, unwrap a gift to reveal the news about Season 2. Take a look:

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Seriously, this is so on brand. The innuendos and the silly vibe between the actors fit with other viral moments we’ve seen from Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams. Meanwhile, the clip leaning into Heated Rivalry’s smutty side is fitting, too. I was particularly entertained by the fact that the Shane actor described what’s to come as:

Hotter, wetter, longer.

One of the reasons Heated Rivlery is so loved by critics and audiences alike has to do with how sexy it is. The series fully accepts and celebrates Shane and Ilya’s romance, and it’s unafraid to show the spicy and vulnerable sides of it.

Now, we’ll get even more of that, as Season 2 should continue the hockey players’ romance as it follows the events of Reid’s second book about them, The Long Game. Connor Storrie confirmed that in the video, saying:

Start reading The Long Game if you wanna spoil it for yourself.

I certainly won’t be the one to spoil it for you. However, to state the obvious, The Long Game does continue the years-long story of Shane and Ilya’s relationship. The two stars of the show confirmed (kind of) that they’ll be back for this all too, as they went back and forth in the video saying:

Hudson Williams: We’ll both be there.
Connor Storrie: We’ll both be there, or we won’t.
Hudson Williams: Enjoy it when it comes.

Of course, it ended on Williams saying, “Enjoy it when it comes.” It feels fitting for this project that falls among the spiciest shows and sexually explicit movies on HBO Max.

Anyway, all around, I’m so happy we get to see even more of Shane and Ilya’s story play out. Heated Rivalry has been such a welcome and sexy addition to the world of television, and it’s a truly great LGBTQ+ show. So, I know that so many people are thrilled that we get to continue watching this hockey romance as it gets “hotter,” “wetter” and “longer.”

However, before we get to Season 2, we have to finish Season 1. So, make sure you stream new episodes of Heated Rivalry with an HBO Max subscription every Friday.

Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.

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