Connor Storrie: What’s next after ‘Heated Rivalry’?

Connor Storrie’s breakout turn as cocky Russian hockey star Ilya Rozanov in the 2025 Crave and HBO Max series Heated Rivalry turned the 25-year-old into an overnight favorite on both sides of the border. Fans want to know where the momentum leads next, especially with Season 2 already locked for a 2027 premiere. The actor’s upcoming slate mixes prestige streaming, a psychological thriller lead, and an A24 comedy, signaling a deliberate push beyond the queer sports romance that made him famous.

Groundwork before the surge

Before Heated Rivalry, Storrie juggled shifts as a server and occasional children’s party clown while studying improv at The Groundlings. Small parts in the 2023 indie Riley and a brief cameo in Joker: Folie à Deux kept the lights on but never hinted at leading-man status. His self-taught Russian accent work for Ilya proved the decisive skill that opened every subsequent door.

Storrie also directs and shoots experimental shorts on his iPhone, and he releases original music under an alias that surfaces only on niche playlists. Those side projects remain active even as his calendar fills, giving him an off-screen creative outlet away from studio expectations.

Industry watchers note that many overnight stars burn out when they lack a private practice; Storrie’s multi-hyphenate habits suggest he is building longevity rather than chasing every camera call.

Return to the role that changed everything

Production on Heated Rivalry Season 2 is slated to begin this summer, with Storrie and Hudson Williams reprising their decade-spanning secret romance. The pair’s off-screen friendship has become its own social-media subplot, fueling fan edits and speculation about how the story will evolve in the second season.

Storrie told The Hollywood Reporter that he still cannot predict how long post-production will stretch, but the 2027 release window is now locked in trade reporting. That timeline gives him roughly eighteen months to stack credits before stepping back into Rozanov’s skates.

The show’s global reach on HBO Max means any new material attached to Storrie will be measured against the standard Ilya set; the actor has said he welcomes that comparison as long as the next projects feel distinct.

Procedural detour on Paramount+

Storrie appears in at least four episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19, which premiered its arc in June 2026. The role is listed as recurring rather than a one-off, giving him sustained screen time inside an established network franchise.

Fans tracking the move online note the tonal contrast between a steamy Canadian hockey drama and a grim FBI procedural; the booking functions as quick proof that Storrie can toggle between genres without losing momentum.

Paramount+ executives have not released character details, but early casting notices position him as a person of interest rather than a victim or unsub, keeping the part open for future returns if scheduling aligns.

Prestige reach on Apple TV+

Storrie also surfaces in two episodes of For All Mankind as Lance Kingston, a supporting player in the alternate-history space saga. The series carries critical cachet and an older-skewing audience that differs sharply from the Heated Rivalry demographic.

Landing on Apple TV+ adds another major streamer to his résumé and signals that casting directors now view him as viable for ensemble prestige work rather than only romantic leads. The episodes are expected to air later in 2026, slotting neatly between his Criminal Minds stint and the start of Heated Rivalry Season 2 filming.

Observers on social media have framed the booking as evidence that Storrie is following the same path as other breakout stars who use guest arcs to test market reach before committing to new series leads.

Lead role in April X

Storrie headlines the psychological sci-fi thriller April X, playing one of two twins opposite Lilly Krug; North American distribution was secured earlier this year with a September 2026 target. The film marks his first major theatrical lead since the series took off.

Shifting into darker, cerebral material lets him test whether audiences will follow him outside the sports-romance lane. Early test-screening chatter on fan accounts suggests the twin dynamic offers plenty of room for the sly charisma he displayed as Ilya.

Release timing positions April X as a potential awards-season calling card, provided marketing leans into the buzzy young cast rather than burying the title in crowded fall corridors.

Comedy pivot with A24

Storrie joined the ensemble of Peaked, an A24 high-school reunion comedy that began production in February 2026. The project pairs him with two “mean girls” leads and several rising comedians, giving him a chance to showcase timing in a lighter register.

A24’s track record of turning modest comedies into cultural events means the film could widen his audience beyond prestige and procedural viewers. The script reportedly leans on awkward reunion dynamics rather than broad slapstick, which aligns with Storrie’s improv background.

Industry chatter at recent CAA showcases has framed the attachment as a calculated swing: pair a buzzy name with an auteur-leaning studio and let word-of-mouth do the rest.

SNL spotlight and public image

Storrie hosted Saturday Night Live in February 2026 with Mumford & Sons as musical guests, a booking that arrived only months after Heated Rivalry’s finale. The episode leaned into hockey sketches and self-deprecating bits about his sudden fame.

Off-camera he remains active on Instagram, posting set photos and the occasional painting or music snippet to remind followers that the day job has not replaced his other interests. That transparency has kept the narrative grounded rather than mythic.

Publicists note that the SNL slot doubled as a soft launch for the 2026 slate, letting casual viewers see the range before the heavier projects arrive in theaters and on streamers.

Navigating fan expectations

Online discourse around Connor Storrie centers on whether the actor can avoid typecasting after one iconic role. Comment threads on Reddit and X frequently compare his trajectory to other stars who followed a breakout romance with quick genre hops.

Storrie has addressed the pressure in recent interviews by stressing that he is choosing projects that scare him slightly, whether that means learning new accents or sharing screen time with established ensembles. The strategy appears designed to keep the work varied rather than repetitive.

His continued friendship with Hudson Williams also factors into fan speculation about future joint projects, though neither actor has confirmed anything beyond Season 2 of Heated Rivalry at this stage.

Balancing multiple platforms

With commitments on Paramount+, Apple TV+, theatrical distribution, and A24, Connor Storrie is effectively spreading risk across four distinct buyer profiles. That diversification matters in a market where streaming libraries can vanish overnight and theatrical windows keep shrinking.

Agents at the packaging stage are already fielding offers for 2027 and 2028, but Storrie has indicated he wants at least one project that lets him direct again before committing to another long series arc. The iPhone feature he made pre-fame remains a touchstone for that ambition.

The crowded calendar also means careful coordination with Heated Rivalry’s production block; any delays in Season 2 could ripple through the rest of the slate and test how flexible each partner is willing to be.

Forward momentum

Connor Storrie’s next eighteen months will test whether a viral romance performance can translate into sustained, multi-genre stardom. The mix of procedural guest spots, prestige streaming, a sci-fi lead, and an A24 comedy suggests a deliberate portfolio rather than scattershot bookings. If the upcoming releases land with both critics and the fandom that launched him, the actor who once balanced tables and clown gigs could find himself choosing between auteur indies and major franchises for years to come.