Was Heated Rivalry really shot in just 36 days? Details revealed 

Heated Rivalry has emerged as one of this year's most notable television releases. The sports drama, featuring Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, was reportedly filmed in just 36 or 37 days. This limited timeline makes the series's success even more exceptional.

The show was created for Canadian streaming giant Crave, but it gained popularity over time after its trailer went viral. HBO Max removed the regional limitation days before its launch and expanded its availability to roughly 54 million more regions.

The show features a secret romance between two professional hockey players. Williams plays Shane Hollander, captain of the Montreal Metros. Storrie plays Ilya Rozanove of the fictional Boston Raiders. The actors' on-screen dynamic was evident from the first day, with production moving at a rapid speed to capture their dynamic.

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Behind the fast-paced production schedule

The restricted filming window of Heated Rivalry meant both leads had minimal preparation time. Every actor was officially hired just one week before cameras started rolling. Williams arrived in Toronto and immediately noticed Storrie's physical change. He recalled:

"Connor pushed himself up onto the island in the kitchen."

He continued:

"I remember seeing his arms. They were the size of my legs. I was like, Holy fuck."

The tight schedule created continuity struggles, especially as Williams gained more than 10 pounds of muscle during the shoot.

"I didn't even care about continuity," Williams admitted. "I hate that one shot in Vegas, when I stripped for [Ilya] in episode two. That was the first day of filming. I was flat as hell."

The creator, Jacob Tierney, directed the first six episodes. He worked closely with intimacy coordinator Chala Hunter to handle the show's explicit scenes. Both performers confirmed their comfort with nudity during pre-production calls.

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From Canadian streamer to worldwide sensation

Heated Rivalry premiered on Crave in late November. The platform has approximately 4 million subscribers. The fans of Rachel Reid's source books started sharing piracy tips immediately. HBO chairman Casey Bloys called acquiring the show:

"a very easy yes" after bingeing the show season in one weekend. Bloys explained.

"When somebody says there's a gay hockey show with explicit sex scenes, you go, Great, I want to look at that,"

Heated Rivalry quickly entered HBO Max's top ten list. According to Reid, her publisher printed nearly half a million copies of the book series in one month after the show's release. She said the following about the leads:

"There would be no show without them, this chemistry, this is it. That's what we're here for."

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What's next for the popular leads in Heated Rivalry

Both Williams and Storrie signed a three-year contract with the production. Crave has decided to renew the show for a second season of Heated Rivalry, and production is set to resume by the end of summer. New episodes of Heated Rivalry are likely to arrive in early 2027.

The performers are additionally pursuing opportunities behind the camera. Storrie completed his directorial debut, an alien movie shot on an iPhone. Williams co-directed a short called Rancid.

Heated Rivalry shows that a tight production schedule does not weaken overall quality when talent and chemistry align accurately from the beginning.