‘Heated Rivalry’ Theatrical Release Generates $1.4 Million

Nearly a year after “Heated Rivalry” debuted on streaming, fans are venturing to movie theaters to rewatch the steamy romance between hockey superstars Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie).

The limited theatrical release, which is scheduled from Nov. 6 through Nov. 30, has generated $1.4 million from 945 theaters, according to distributor Regal Entertainment. Moviegoers were able to choose between three paired screenings (episodes 1 and 2: “Rookies” and “Olympians”, episodes 3 and 4: “Hunter” and “Rose,” and episodes 5 and 6: “I’ll Believe in Anything” and “The Cottage”), with tickets for each showtime costing $9.99. That’s less than the average movie price, which is $12.87 for standard screenings, according to research firm EntTelligence.

It’s an impressive haul for a show that’s widely available to stream at home. There aren’t many points of comparison at the box office. When television shows like Netflix’s “Stranger Things” series finale or the Christian drama “The Chosen” have played on the big screen, they aired 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’s 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. In any case, theatrical releases or (re-releases) of popular TV shows are all gravy for cinema operators, who are enjoying the biggest year at the box office since the onset of the pandemic. Gen Z, the target demographic for shows like “Heated Rivalry,” has been driving the movie theater resurgence.

“This could become a really interesting trend, not only as a way to bring fans together but also to keep popular series top of mind during gaps between seasons, when…