[REVISION HISTORY]

Heated Rivalry Season 2 production and casting response

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2026-09-17 03:40 UTC → 2026-09-17 07:04 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Filming for Season 2 of the ice-hockey drama ‘Heated Rivalry’ continued in Toronto throughout July and August 2026. As production ramped up, showrunner Jacob Tierney and Accent Aigu Entertainment issued a plea on Instagram for fans to respect the privacy of the cast and crew, stating, “Please give our cast and crew the space they need to do what they do best.” On August 6, 2026, new casting details were announced. Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie were confirmed as Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, respectively. Additional cast members include Emily Hampshire, Edvin Ryding, Robert Naylor, Sabrina Jalees, and Priyanka, while returning leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will continue their roles. Warner Bros. confirmed these additions for the HBO Max and Crave series, which is scheduled to premiere in spring 2027. The season will adapt the sixth book in Rachel Reid’s ‘Game Changers’ series, *The Long Game*, with the Harris-Troy storyline drawing from the fifth book, *Role Model*. Following casting news, some fans expressed skepticism regarding Justice Smith's portrayal of Harris Drover, specifically noting he does not match the character's stocky build in the novels. Author Rachel Reid defended the decision on Instagram, noting that the original cast faced similar backlash during the first season before being well-received. Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady asserted that Smith and Gillespie connected with the “vulnerability and resilience” at the core of their characters. On August 25, 2026, Crave and HBO announced further casting additions, including Daniel Diemer as Ryan Price and Shaheen Jafargholi as Fabian Salah. On September 3, 2026, additional casting was revealed: Kevin Zegers will portray Coach Brandon Wiebe, Milla Jovovich will play Dr. Galina Molchalina, and Paul Gross will play Commissioner Roger Crowell. ~~Jovovich’s character, Dr. Molchalina, is a Russian-speaking psychologist serving as a therapist to Ilya (Connor Storrie).~~

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