The cultural phenomenon that is Heated Rivalry is officially making the leap to physical media. The hit Crave series, which streams in the United States on HBO Max, is now available to purchase on Blu-ray and DVD, while a comprehensive collector’s edition is slated to arrive on store shelves later this year.
Fans of the acclaimed Canadian queer hockey drama can order the standard Blu-ray and DVD editions on Amazon now. According to official retail listings, the highly anticipated collector’s edition of the series is scheduled for release on November 24, giving dedicated viewers and collectors a physical package packed with exclusive merchandise and bonus features to add to their home entertainment libraries.
The collector’s edition box set includes the complete first season of the show alongside hours of extensive bonus content. Viewers can expect a deep dive into the making of the series with blooper reels, deleted scenes, and behind-the-scenes "making of" featurettes. Beyond the digital bonus materials, the physical set comes stocked with exclusive items, including collectible art cards, a fold-out poster, and a novelty "hockey puck" plush stress reliever designed to nod to the show’s athletic core.
Aesthetic details set the physical releases apart. The special collector’s Blu-ray edition features distinctive packaging inspired by a retro VHS tape, offering a nostalgic nod to classic home video releases. Meanwhile, the regular standalone Blu-ray and standard DVD editions utilize the show’s striking main theatrical poster as their cover art.
The Story Behind the Screen: Official Companion Book Released
For followers of the series looking for an even deeper look into the production, show creator Jacob Tierney’s companion book is also available now. Titled I’ll Believe in Anything: The Making of Heated Rivalry, the official release serves as a complete collection of annotated scripts from the first season of the groundbreaking television adaptation. The scripts are based on the popular Game Changers novel series by author Rachel Reid.
Published in partnership with producer Brendan Brady and Accent Aigu, the book is packed with behind-the-scenes photography, production stories, and previously unreleased content. The annotations offer granular insights into the creative process, featuring notes on scene directions, intimacy choreography, costume design choices, and much more.
The book, which features a foreword written by Reid, aims to answer a wide array of lingering questions for fans who have followed the show’s meteoric rise. According to the official product description, the volume tackles queries such as how Tierney successfully interwove the central rivalry between Ilya and Shane with the secondary romance between Scott and Kip to craft unforgettable television moments. It also explores the origin of the now-iconic Canadian Olympic fleece and sheds light on the collaborative effort required by Tierney, Brady, and the creative team to plan, choreograph, and film some of the most celebrated intimacy scenes in contemporary television.
The official synopsis for the book further elaborates on its mission, noting that I’ll Believe in Anything pulls back the curtain to demonstrate how Tierney, Brady, and the Accent Aigu team drew on a profound respect for Reid’s original literary work, precise casting choices, clever set and costume design, and thoughtful scene choreography. Together, these elements helped rewrite the playbook for adapting romance novels to the screen while shattering long-standing misconceptions about the commercial and cultural appeal of queer love stories.
A Hockey Universe Built on Romance
Originating on the Canadian streaming service Crave and broadcast in the United States via HBO Max, Heated Rivalry is set within a fictionalized professional hockey universe adapted from Reid’s best-selling novels. The first season of the television series specifically adapts the second book in the literary franchise, Heated Rivalry. Jacob Tierney served as the creative force behind the project, writing, directing, and shepherding the adaptation to the screen.
The narrative centers on two elite professional hockey players caught in a fierce athletic rivalry and a complex, near-decade-long evolution from a secretive situationship into a profound relationship. Canada-born Shane Hollander, played by Hudson Williams, skates for the fictitious Montreal Metros, while Russia-born Ilya Rozanov, played by Connor Storrie, anchors the rival Boston Raiders.
The success of the series has transformed both Williams and Storrie into certified international breakout stars. In the months following the show’s debut, the two actors have maintained a high-profile presence in the entertainment industry, presenting at the Golden Globes, serving as official torchbearers in the 2026 Olympic Torch Relay, attending the Met Gala, and securing major post-Heated Rivalry acting roles.
Looking Ahead to Season 2 and Beyond
Buoyed by immediate critical acclaim and massive viewership, Crave renewed Heated Rivalry for a second season early into the run of its freshman outing. HBO Max quickly confirmed that it would continue its partnership to air the upcoming episodes in the United States. Production on the second season is slated to get underway this summer, with producers eyeing a targeted spring 2027 release date.
The sophomore season will expand the scope of the television universe by adapting subsequent installments from Reid’s book series, specifically incorporating elements from The Long Game as well as the fifth book in the franchise, Role Model.
In the interim, the main cast members have been busy booking high-profile projects. Storrie has been in talks to join the ensemble cast of the upcoming A24 comedy Peaked, a project spearheaded by Molly Gordon and Saturday Night Live writer Allie Levitan. Meanwhile, Williams is set to star alongside Carrie-Anne Moss, Noah Reid, and Clark Backo in Yaga, a half-hour Canadian drama series adapted from the stage play by Kat Sandler.
Author Rachel Reid has also continued to expand the literary universe that inspired the screen adaptation. Earlier this year, Reid announced plans to publish the seventh book in her Game Changers series. Titled Unrivaled, the upcoming novel will continue the narrative arc of Shane and Ilya. The book is currently scheduled to be released in June 2027, ensuring that both readers and viewers will have plenty of new material to explore as the television adaptation continues its run.