Giovana Gelhoren is a High-Trending Topics Writer at Collider, covering the most-talked-about stars, movies, and TV shows. Before joining Collider, she was a Digital News Writer at People Magazine and served as Associate Editor at SheKnows, where she honed her expertise in celebrity coverage and entertainment journalism.
A proud Latina from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Giovana graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Journalism and International Studies. She has interviewed countless celebrities, including Anne Hathaway, Halle Berry, Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Brenda Song, and is known for her encyclopedic knowledge of film, TV, and pop culture.
From Stranger Things to Heartbreak High, Netflix is full of coming-of-age stories that cater to its teen audiences and beyond. Among the best in the genre is Heartstopper, a romance series that first premiered on April 22, 2022, and is based on the graphic novel series written and illustrated by Alice Oseman. Starring Kit Connor and Joe Locke, the series not only put these two actors on the map, but depicted one of the streaming platform's most heartfelt, diverse and chart-topping romances to date.
After coming out with three seasons, however, Heartstopper is changing it up in its final hurrah. On July 17, 2026, Netflix will be releasing Heartstopper Forever, a spin-off movie with the last chapter of Nick (Connor) and Charlie's (Locke) love story. The movie will no doubt bring back the magic that made Heartstopper so endearing for three seasons, all while promising an unexpected and potentially tumultuous ending for the characters viewers have gotten to know and love.
Before getting into the spin-off movie, viewers who haven't seen any of Heartstopper yet should first tune into the series. Going back to Season 1, the series follows a shy, openly gay student named Charlie as he's paired in class with Nick, a charming rugby player who, by all accounts, is straight. As their friendship blossoms, however, Nick makes major revelations about his own sexuality, while Charlie comes to terms with the bullying he's faced in the past, and the lingering effects it's had on his personal life and self-esteem. Together with their ride-or-die friends, Charlie and Nick navigate teenhood and their feelings together, with literal sparks flying between them when they're around each other. All in all, the series manages to be an uplifting, bubbly romantic comedy, all while not shying away from major dilemmas, internal struggles and the classic growing pains of becoming an adult.
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Throughout its three seasons, Heartstopper has established itself as one of Netflix's best teen dramas. When Season 1 was first released, the series became an overnight sensation, reaching over 53.46 million hours viewed in its first three weeks. Two years later, Season 2 drew 55.5 million hours viewed in the same amount of time, with Season 3 achieving similar success. The critical acclaim of the series has been ever more impressive, reaching an average 98% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes in all three seasons, with Seasons 1 and 3 earning a rare 100%.
As viewers of the series eagerly await the spin-off movie coming out next month, there are already some clues as to what the new and final chapter will entail. Directed by Wash Westmoreland, Heartstopper Forever will take off from where Season 3 ended, as Nick continues to explore universities and what it would mean for his and Charlie's relationship if he were to move far away, while Charlie embarks on his last year at Truham Grammar School while dealing with his mental health struggles. Joining Connor and Locke in the feature-length finale are William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown, Kizzy Edgell, Tobie Donovan, Jenny Walser, Rhea Norwood, and Leila Khan. A synopsis for the third season reads:
"After Season 3, the couple is inseparable. But, with Nick preparing to leave for university and Charlie finding new independence at school, the reality of a long-distance relationship begins to weigh on them. Doubts take hold, and their relationship faces its biggest challenge yet."
With that said, while it might be disappointing for Heartstopper fans to hear that their beloved show will be coming to an end, the series is promising a satisfying, heartfelt finale that will not only please viewers and critics alike, but will surely top the charts. Since 2022, Heartstopper has become one of Netflix's most moving and successful teen shows, and its spin-off feature-film finale will likely only continue that trend, and end on a high note.
