Heartstopper is a Netflix Original romantic teen drama that is based on a titular graphic novel by Alice Oseman. Featuring Joe Locke and Kit Connor in the roles of Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson, respectively, the plot follows the journey of their friendship which slowly buds into something deeper and stronger. Consequently, the movie soon transforms their journey into that of the couple owning up to their sexual identities.
The moment this British dramedy was released on the official streamer, it was successful in gauging people’s attention. Its popularity was undoubtedly increasing exponentially, so much so that the show was renewed for two more seasons within a brief period of its release.
Touted to be one of the streaming services’ highest-rated high school dramas of all time, Heartstopper has achieved the feat of a 100% critics’ rating on RottenTomatoes. Not only that, but the British LGBTQIA+ drama ranks #150 on the IMDb top list. Garnering numerous award nominations and winning 5 at the 2022 Children’s & Family Emmy Awards, the season 2 renewal does not come off as a surprise.
But there’s more that you would like to know about the series. Continue to read what’s that.
When was Heartstopper officially renewed for a second season?
Only a few weeks after the release of Heartstopper, Netflix renewed the show for two more seasons.
Netflix’s official Twitter account said:
“To those who have fallen in love with Nick & Charlie, cried watching Alice Oseman’s magical story brought to life, or felt represented for the first time on-screen, I am elated to announce… Heartstopper has been renewed for TWO MORE SEASONS!”
To those who have fallen in love with Nick & Charlie, cried watching Alice Oseman's magical story brought to life, or felt represented for the first time on-screen, I am elated to announce…
Heartstopper has been renewed for TWO MORE SEASONS! 🍂 🍂 https://t.co/m3LbFiV8v6 pic.twitter.com/Dyc4MBjQaV
— Netflix (@netflix) May 20, 2022
What is the overall performance of Heartstopper?
A two-season order renewal is quite a rarity when it comes to Netflix. However, if a series like Heartstopper, which has bagged 14,550,000 million hours in the first week itself, the streamer is left with no option but to make exceptional decisions.
In the second week, the show observed a massive 65% spike in viewership, ascending to 23,940,000 million hours. Owing to its widespread popularity, the show was also featured in the top ten list of 67 countries, including the US, UK, Australia, and Canada.
Per British SVOD analytics company, Digital i, Heartstopper bears an exceptional completion rate, which equals the percentage of people who began watching the show and also completed it. As per their data, 73% of the people started watching the show and ultimately finished it.
What is the production status of Heartstopper season 2?
Heartstopper Season 2 wrapped production in early December 2022. The announcement came from the series creator, Alice Oseman, who was officially photographed along with Kit Connor and Joe Locke to release the happy news. Oseman shared an Instagram post on December 2nd to make the announcement, which was captioned with:
“That’s a wrap on Heartstopper season 2! It’s been an incredibly intense few months on set with many new challenges for the cast and crew, but everyone rose to those challenges with such passion and skill and determination. Huge thanks to every single member of the cast and crew – everyone has worked ridiculously hard and given it their all, and for that, I am eternally grateful. This season is going to be so magical and I can’t wait to get started on post-production!”
View this post on Instagram
Euros Lyn, who directed all eight episodes of Heartstopper season 1, will reportedly return to serve in season 2 as well.
What is the release date of Heartstopper season 2?
As per the announcements made on Twitter and various other social media platforms, Heartstopper season 2 will reportedly release on Netflix on Thursday, August 3rd, 2023.
We can finally tell you…Heartstopper Season 2 comes to Netflix 3 August!!! 🍂 🍂 🍂 pic.twitter.com/I2aagRDBk9
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) April 24, 2023
What can we expect to happen in Heartstopper season 2?
As mentioned previously, Heartstopper season 1 is based on a titular graphic novel, so we can expect the upcoming season to also follow suit. Here’s the official book synopsis (courtesy of Amazon) of the second season:
“Charlie didn’t think Nick could ever like him back, but now they’re officially boyfriends. Nick has even found the courage to come out to his mom. But coming out isn’t something that happens just once, and Nick and Charlie try to figure out when to tell their friends that they’re dating. Not being out to their classmates gets even harder during a school trip to Paris. As Nick and Charlie’s feelings get more serious, they’ll need each other more than ever.”
Based on the plotline in the graphic novel, season 2 will expectantly focus on the introduction of Nick’s homophobic older brother David, who is not readily accepting his younger sibling’s bisexuality. Additionally, viewers can expect to see more of Mr Ajayi, a supporter of Charlie.
In addition to that, What’s on Netflix also expects Heartstopper season 2 to cover “Charlie’s struggle with an eating disorder and his mental health.” Season 2 is also expected to cover the school’s reaction when Nick and Charlie reveal their relationship. Will the couple face more homophobia upon their revelation?
Per Netflix’s description of Heartstopper season 2, here’s what you can expect:
“‘Nick and Charlie navigate their new relationship; Tara and Darcy face unforeseen challenges and Tao and Elle work out if they can ever be more than just friends. With exams on the horizon, a school trip to Paris and a prom to plan, the gang has a lot to juggle as they journey through the next stages of life, love and friendship.”
Who are the cast members of Heartstopper season 2?
Netflix’s Heartstopper season 2 is expected to cast the following actors in their respective roles:
- Kit Connor as Nick
- Joe Locke as Charlie
- William Gao as Tao
- Yasmin Finney as Elle
- Corinna Brown as Tara
- Kizzy Edgell as Darcy
- Tobie Donovan as Isaac
- Jenny Walser as Tori
- Sebastian Croft as Ben
- Cormac Hyde-Corrin as Harry
- Rhea as Imogen
- Fisayo Akinade as Mr Ajayi
- Chetna Pandya as Coach Singh
- Olivia Colman as Sarah (Nick’s Mother)
- Georgina Rich as Jane (Charlie’s Mother)
- Joseph Balderrama as Julio (Charlie’s Father)
Talking about her character Elle, Finny previously said, “I admire Elle so much.” Talking about her own experiences as a trans woman, she said, “I was bullied for being queer at my first high school. At the time I didn’t know I was trans, but for Elle to know that she is and to move schools because of that is bravery on another level.”
In addition to the above mentioned names, Heartstopper season 2 will also feature:
- Bel Priestley as Naomi
- Thibault De Montalembert as Stephane Nelson
- Ash Self as Felix
🍂🍂🍂 HEARTSTOPPER S2 NEWS! Introducing…
– Bel Priestley as Naomi
– Ash Self as Felix
– Thibault De Montalembert as Stephane pic.twitter.com/RaglbVjSii— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) November 4, 2022
Expressing her gratitude over her new job, Priestley shared a post on Instagram, captioning it with:
‘Words can’t describe how grateful I am for this opportunity. Thank you to the entire Heartstopper crew & cast for making me feel so welcomed and supported.’
View this post on Instagram
In February, the newcomer opened up a bit more about what fans can expect from her role.
In regards to her role Naomi, the 19-year-old, unraveled what the fans could expect during a panel discussion for National Student Pride. She said,
“I play a girl called Naomi, and I have a strong friendship with Elle. I think [it will] be really nice for everyone to see two trans girls conquering the world.”
She also added how the show is ‘ breaking more boundaries’ in its second installment. ‘They’re reaching new audiences, and they’re looking at new things. I’ve seen the trailer, and I’ve watched [it], and it’s going to be amazing. I’m excited for everyone to see it,’ she added.
That’s not it, fam! Per various reports, new additional cast members have also been announced to join the team of Heartstopper season 2:
- Emily Ng as Madame Martin
- Rebecca Root as Principal Edwards
- Jack Barton as David Nelson, the homophobic older brother of Nick.
- Nima Taleghani as the new schoolteacher Mr Farouk
- Bradley Riches
- Leila Khan as Sahar Zahid
Will Heartstopper season 3 seal the fate of the show?
As mentioned previously, the British LGBTQIO+ drama was renewed for two more seasons a few later its premiere on Netflix. So, we can indubitably continue watching Heartstopper till season 3. But what after that? Will there be more seasons of Heartstopper?
To the fans’ surprise, creator and the executive producer of the show, Alice Oseman, revealed to the Radio Times that the series would presumably take four seasons to narrate the full story. Oseman said, “I haven’t done any in-detail planning or anything, but it’s quite easy to divide up the books into seasons, so four I think would do it.”
✌️ more seasons of Heartstopper! 🍂🍂https://t.co/u65kBHzJ9p pic.twitter.com/s6NKkU9Hl3
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) May 20, 2022