Canada's biggest TV obsession is heading to the big screen. Cineplex has confirmed it will run special cinema screenings of Heated Rivalry, the hit Crave series about rival hockey stars whose on-ice rivalry turns into something far more complicated off it.
There are two ways to watch. On Nov. 8, fans can settle in for a full-day marathon of all six episodes for $24.99 plus tax — a genuine binge, cinema-style, at select theatres only. If a full-day commitment sounds like too much, the series will also screen in two-episode blocks on Nov. 6, 10 and 11 for $9.99 plus tax. That means you can pick up the first two episodes, catch the fan-favourite Scott and Kip episode (episodes three and four), or jump straight to the finale.
Tickets and participating locations were set to appear on Cineplex.com by the end of Oct. 22, and given the intensity of this fandom, they're likely to move fast.
The screenings are part of a bigger international rollout from U.K.-based distributor Sphere Abacus, a Bell Media company, which has lined up cinema showings across Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Australia and New Zealand — a notable feat for a Canadian series that started life on a domestic streaming service.
For the uninitiated: Heated Rivalry follows hockey stars Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) as their rivalry gives way to a complicated relationship. It was created by Montreal director Jacob Tierney, known for Letterkenny, and is adapted from Halifax author Rachel Reid's bestselling Game Changers novels. Rolling Stone called it "a smutty hit," and the show has generated memes, parodies, fan edits and even a stage musical. Its two leads have rocketed toward A-list status off the back of it.
There's a bonus for those who catch the cinema run: season two is already filming and expected to premiere on Crave in spring 2027.
Why should a traveller care? This is a rare chance to experience a genuinely Canadian cultural phenomenon the way Canadians are experiencing it — in a crowded theatre, with a hyped audience, popcorn in hand. If you're visiting Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal or Calgary in early November, timing a trip around one of these screenings would put you in the middle of a very local moment. Fans already plan trips around filming locations and fan events; this is an easy, affordable add-on to any autumn city break in Canada.
