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Entertainment

Independent hockey drama Heated Rivalry becomes global streaming hit

Low-budget adaptation drew record viewership on Crave and HBO Max, The Hollywood Reporter reports.

The short version

  • Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady produced the adaptation of Heated Rivalry under Accent Aigu Entertainment for around CA $3 million per episode.[The Hollywood Reporter]
  • After facing worldwide acquisition offers as low as $200,000, the producers secured a territory-by-territory distribution deal with HBO.[The Hollywood Reporter]
  • The series became Crave's largest original series premiere and averaged 10.6 million viewers per episode on HBO Max in the U.S.[The Hollywood Reporter]

Key facts

  • Accent Aigu Entertainment was launched in 2023 by Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady following their work on Letterkenny and Shoresy.[The Hollywood Reporter]
  • Heated Rivalry was filmed over 36 days around Toronto and Hamilton for approximately CA $3 million per episode.[The Hollywood Reporter]
  • Producers turned down an initial worldwide rights offer of $200,000 before HBO agreed to territory-by-territory acquisitions.[The Hollywood Reporter]
  • The show became Crave's highest-performing original debut on record and averaged 10.6 million U.S. viewers per episode on HBO Max.[The Hollywood Reporter]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.