The limited theatrical release of the streaming series "Heated Rivalry" has generated $1.4 million from 945 theaters. The release, which runs from Nov. 6 through Nov. 30, allows fans to rewatch the romance between hockey stars Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov on the big screen.
Distributor Regal Entertainment reported the figures, noting that moviegoers can select from three pairs of episodes: "Rookies" and "Olympians"; "Hunter" and "Rose"; and "I’ll Believe in Anything" and "The Cottage." Tickets for these screenings are priced at $9.99, which is lower than the $12.87 average for standard screenings reported by research firm EntTelligence.
Regal’s senior VP of U.S. content Brooks LeBoeuf stated prior to the re-release that when a series connects with audiences the way "Heated Rivalry" has, the company looks for ways to bring it to the big screen to give fans a reason to experience it together. He described the release as a chance to celebrate the story, its creators, and its performances before Season 2 arrives in 2027.
The Canadian-produced show, based on Rachel Reid’s "Game Changers" book series, debuted on HBO Max in the U.S. in November 2025. It did not become a word-of-mouth sensation until early 2026, at which point episodes reached an average viewership of more than 10 million and turned Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie into instant stars.
Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Rentrak, suggested this could become an interesting trend to bring fans together and keep popular series top of mind during gaps between seasons. He noted that while they initially thought this might be confined to the faith-based space, the potential extends to virtually any series with a passionate fan base. He added that while not every series will translate to a successful big-screen event, movie theaters could become an exciting extension of the television experience for the right show and audience.
There aren’t many points of comparison at the box office. While Netflix’s "Stranger Things" Season 5 series finale and the drama "The Chosen" have played in theaters, those featured new, never-before-seen episodes. Although Netflix didn’t report grosses for "Stranger Things," the Season 5 series finale was estimated to have earned a massive $25 million to $28 million around New Year’s Eve. However, that is not a fair reference given the super-sized, two-hour finale was the much-anticipated conclusion to the streamer’s biggest series of all time.
