Netflix has finally revealed the fate of Heartstopper after six gruelling months for fans, who were unsure whether the show would ever return.
The teen drama, starring Joe Locke and Kit Connor, will not return for a fourth and final series, but a feature-length film, which will wrap things up.
The series – adapted from Alice Oseman’s graphic novel – follows the blossoming love life of Charlie (Locke) and was praised by fans upon its release in 2022 for giving queer characters a joyful story akin to heterosexual relationships featured in many romantic comedies.
The Heartstopper film will be directed by Wash Westmoreland (Still Alice, Colette) and will serve as the series finale.
Meanwhile, Oseman will write the script, which is based on the forthcoming sixth and final volume from her graphic novel series.
No publication date has been announced for Heartstopper Vol. 6, however Oseman has said she would like the last book to be released ahead of the TV series, per Deadline.
The Heartstopper finale follows the lead couple as they embark on a stressful long-distance relationship after Nick leaves for university.
As the weight of being apart begins to take its toll, both Nick and Charlie must ask themselves whether first loves can really last forever.
Filming for the movie is scheduled to start this summer, with Lock and Connor joining Oseman, Euros Lyn, Patrick Walters, Iain Canning and Emile Sherman as executive producers.
“I am completely overjoyed that we will get to tell the end of the Heartstopper story,” Oseman said in a statement.
“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 comes after Oseman revealed in February that she had been working “really hard” alongside the rest of the Heartstopper team to make a renewal for the series happen.
A month later, she admitted there were “lots of moving parts” making series renewal harder, with many fans taking this to mean Locke and Connor’s availability had become tighter as they took on additional projects like Warfare (Connor) and Disney+’s Agatha All Along (Locke).
Earlier this month, Connor told Vogue: “I’d definitely like to do it as long as it’s done right.
“I just want to make sure that we keep the heart in it. So, we are working on something and hopefully we’re making it happen. But we’ll see. No promises. I don’t want to do it if it’s not right.”
