Ashhar Alam / New Delhi

Lionsgate Play has confirmed the return of its popular queer hockey drama Heated Rivalry for a second season, slated for a 2027 release. The announcement comes alongside a broader content expansion strategy featuring a theatrical-first rollout and over 100 premieres planned for India in 2026, reported Variety.

The series, led by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, explores the evolving relationship between two professional hockey rivals. Based on Rachel Reid’s novels, the show first premiered on November 28 last year and streams on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in the United States.

As part of its new distribution approach, Lionsgate Play will also bring 10–12 selected titles to Indian cinemas starting September before their digital debut. The slate includes films such as Billion Dollar Spy starring Russell Crowe, Empire City with Gerard Butler, Primetime featuring Robert Pattinson, By Any Means starring Mark Wahlberg, and the creature feature Titan.

The 2026 lineup further features high-profile projects including Greenland 2: Migration with Gerard Butler, Mutiny starring Jason Statham, Couture featuring Angelina Jolie, Famous with Zac Efron, and The Rivals of Amziah King led by Matthew McConaughey. Franchises like Apollo Has Fallen and a third season of Vigil also form part of the slate, reported Variety.

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Rohit Jain, who took over leadership of the platform earlier this year, said the expansion reflects a larger vision for premium storytelling across formats. He added that 2026 will mark a major scale-up with theatrical releases, franchise continuations, and a robust streaming lineup.

Operating across eight Asian markets, Lionsgate Play reaches over 40 million viewers in India through partnerships with platforms such as JioHotstar, Airtel Xstream, and Amazon Prime Video Channels under its B2B2C distribution model.