Heartstopper has been on the minds of fans since the beloved series' third season premiered on Netflix. If we're being totally honest, the show has been on all our minds since it first premiered on the streaming service back in 2022, but there is no denying that there has been a lot of discussion around it in recent weeks and months.
The critically-acclaimed third season debuted in October and it very quickly made itself at home in Netflix's weekly Top 10. However, the streamer had yet to announce whether it would return for a fourth season, leaving it in limbo for months. That's a position that the show has never been in before as it was promptly renewed for two more seasons after the debut of its first season.
Six months after season 3's arrival, Netflix has finally confirmed what the future looks like for the show.
Heartstopper will conclude with a movie insead of a fourth season
The good news is that the cast and crew of Heartstopper will return for another adventure, as the beloved series will conclude with a feature-length film. Kit Connor and Joe Locke will reprise their roles as Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring while also serving as executive producers alongside creator Alice Oseman, and filming is expected to commence this summer.
This changes up the plans from the initially-expected fourth season but it has also resulted in the show's devoted fanbase breathing a collective sigh of relief knowing that Heartstopper's story will conclude on its own terms. And that's the important thing here, because the show has generated so much conversation over the past few years that it simply wouldn't have been right for it to be unceremoniously cancelled without some kind of planned conclusion. Thankfully, that won't happen now.
The feature film will tackle the stories teased in the season 3 finale as Nick, Charlie and their friends head into the next chapters of their lives. For Nick and Charlie, their newfound intimacy will be tested when the former goes to university, separating them for the first time since they got together. It will be a tough trial that raises the questions of whether first loves can last forever. And the same question will crop up for Tao ad Elle, Tara and Darcy, and quite possibly other characters in the show as this beautiful story wraps up.
The movie is based on the sixth and final Heartstopper graphic novel and creator Alice Oseman will indeed be the one writing it, adapting their story to the screen one more time. Oseman had recently spoke of their desire to conclude the story with a fourth season, so Heartstopper's next chapter was always going to be where its on-screen story concluded - now they get the chance to do that with a movie. Oseman shared their excitement when speaking with Netflix TUDUM, saying:
"I am completely overjoyed that we will get to tell the end of the Heartstopper story... I’m so grateful to everyone who has worked hard to make this possible and to the incredible fans of Heartstopper for your patience and passion. I cannot wait to bring this story to a magical conclusion."
It's safe to say that the show's devoted fanbase can't wait for the film either.