Looking for your next Heated Rivalry obsession? The Off Campus book series is getting a TV adaptation at Prime Video, and not only is it dropping in a few months, but it’s already been renewed for Season 2.
Unless you’ve been off-grid for the past several months, you’ll know about Heated Rivalry. The sports romance series, based on Rachel Reid’s novel of the same name, has gone from a niche title to a full-blown global phenomenon, driven by word-of-mouth and online fandom.
Streaming services are jumping on the bandwagon, with Netflix developing a hockey series starring Michelle Monaghan. But arguably the most hyped is Prime Video’s upcoming Off Campus, as it shares many of the same hallmarks that made Heated Rivalry such a success.
The new TV show is based on Elle Kennedy’s beloved book series, it’s a “spicy” hockey-based story, and it centers on an unexpected romance – in this case, between a music student and their college’s star hockey player.
Off Campus fans’ one question about Prime Video series
This week, Prime Video announced that its Off Campus series has been renewed for Season 2 – months before it’s even debuted. While this has fans excited, there’s one question that has arisen: just how spicy will the show go?
For the uninitiated, Elle Kennedy’s five-book Off Campus series is considered “open door”, meaning it features graphic, detailed sex scenes and strong on-page chemistry between the characters.
It’s one of the reasons they have been so big on BookTok, while fans have made lists revealing the series’ spiciest chapters. Given Heated Rivalry didn’t shy away from depicting realistic sex scenes, there are hopes Prime Video’s adaptation does the same.
However, the Heated Rivalry crew resisted pressures to tone down the intimacy elements that are so important to the story, with showrunner Jacob Tierney praising Canadian streaming and TV service Crave for its trust in his vision.
When asked by Deadline if he’d felt pressured to compromise any parts of the story, Tierney replied, “My execs at Crave were so f**king amazing about that. There were people along the way. But my execs, they didn’t want it toned down at all.”
But with Off Campus, some fans are apprehensive that a huge platform like Prime Video won’t have the same level of freedom.
Taking to Reddit after the Season 2 news, one asked, “How spicy will the show be? I’m just wondering how much the show will add because if we’re going based off the books this will be Heated Rivalry type of spice level.
“But I also don’t know if an Amazon Prime Video show would add all of that. Also some of the major plot points (like Hannah’s ‘problem’) have to do with that, so they can’t take it out or change it right? Let me know what you guys think!”
Another replied, “I sincerely doubt it will be as explicit as Heated Rivalry. My guess is there will be sex scenes, but they will be cutting from frame pretty quickly. Just enough for us to know that they are having it.
“I would imagine they are marketing this to a more YA, college-aged audience.”
A third added, “I think the spice will be closer to Ginny & Georgia meets The Summer I Turned Pretty than Heated Rivalry to be honest.”
However, others have pointed to quotes from co-showrunner Louisa Levy, who told Entertainment Weekly last September that the series will be just as steamy and sex-positive as fans are expecting.
“There’s something really unique and special about college-age romances where it’s not really that first love kind of vibe, it is something potentially more, and you’re still discovering so much about yourself,” Levy said.
“It’s more mature and sexier than high school. These characters are so sex-positive, especially in the first book, which is the tentpole of our first season. It’s this really deep romance that also has nuances of exploring who you are in the bedroom.
“There’s really lovely elements to who you want to be as a human that gets reflected in the steamy sex scenes that we have coming up this season.”
One Redditor referenced these quotes, writing, “From what the showrunner said it won’t be PG-13 thank God. Probably won’t be as explicit as an HBO show but we got lucky. Amazon studios are not prudes like Netflix, we’re in good hands.”
Another said, “I wouldn’t write it off as being PG-13. The book is decently spicy and I think they will honor that.
“The Summer I Turned Pretty isn’t a fair comparison in my eyes because it’s a ‘glimpsed and kisses’ book and even then they still had a decent intimate scene in the show’s finale because they knew it’s what audiences would want.
“I don’t think it will be fade to black but could lean heavier into the ‘quick edits overlaid with music’ style rather than the realistic style of Heated Rivalry.”
And one person pointed out the poster, which shows the mid-section of Hannah and Garrett as they kiss. “I mean, the poster makes it seem like it’s going to be a little spicy,” they wrote.
“And the EW article says the show is ‘sexy’ and ‘sex positive’ quite a lot so I’m thinking it will be. Probably not like Heated Rivalry though but still.”
When is it out?
Although Prime Video is yet to reveal a specific release date, we know Off Campus Season 1 will drop sometime in May 2026.
Amazon first ordered the series in October 2024, with filming taking place over summer 2025. The fact that a Season 2 has been ordered months before its release is a good sign, showing the studio has faith in the adaptation.
Season 1 will have eight episodes, and though there’s no confirmation on the release schedule, Amazon often drops two or three episodes for the premiere before switching to single weekly episode releases.
This is just speculation – we’ll keep you posted as and when new details emerge.
Until then, here’s what Peter Friedlander, head of global television at Amazon MGM Studios, had to say: “Off Campus captures the kind of emotionally charged, character-driven storytelling that truly resonates with our global Prime Video audience.
“With its passionate fan base, rich source material, and an incredible creative team bringing Briar U to life, we knew that this series had the depth and momentum to continue beyond its first season.
“Set against the high-intensity world of college hockey, the series explores deeply personal journeys and is brought to life by a tremendously talented cast whose chemistry and authenticity make every moment feel real.
“We have great confidence in the way Louisa has mastered this adaptation and we’re excited to give fans even more of the romance, friendship, and heart that define the series.”
Who’s in the cast?
Now for the all important cast: Ella Bright has taken on the role of Hannah Wells in the Off Campus series, while Belmont Cameli is playing Garrett Graham.
The show is avoiding the star-cast trap, a smart move given a large part of Heated Rivalry’s success is down to the solid lead performances from leads Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams.
Ella Bright’s acting credits include Legends and Malory Towers, while Belmont Cameli is best known for starring in the Saved by the Bell reboot and Along for the Ride.
The other Off Campus cast members include:
- Mika Abdalla as Allie Hayes
- Antonio Cipriano as John Logan
- Jalen Thomas Brooks as John Tucker
- Stephen Kalyn as Dean Heyward-Di Laurentis
- Josh Heuston as Justin Kohl
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