Heartstopper fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Netflix's acclaimed adaptation of the hit graphic novels is set to be completed, with a feature-length streaming film serving as the final instalment.

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Word on the show's future had been quiet since October 2024, when the third season dropped, with creator Alice Oseman offering a few fleeting updates to assure fans that the team were hard at work behind the scenes to secure another chapter.

All that effort has paid off in the form of a Heartstopper movie, which seems likely to hit the streaming platform sometime next year as filming is due to start imminently on the project.

"I am completely overjoyed that we will get to tell the end of the Heartstopper story," said Oseman in a statement, following the announcement of the grand finale.

"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."

If you can't wait for one more emotional roller coaster with the gang, read on for everything we know so far about the Heartstopper movie coming to Netflix, including some informed speculation on when it will be released.

Heartstopper movie release date speculation

Nick and Charlie crouch down in a park while they play with Nick's dog
Kit Connor and Joe Locke star in Heartstopper season 3. Samuel Dore/Netflix

Netflix is yet to confirm when the Heartstopper movie will be released, but we do know that filming will get under way this summer.

Due to the shortened runtime, the shoot will probably be wrapped within a few months, at which point the post-production process will get under way to polish the editing, audio and any of Oseman's trademark animations.

With that in mind, we estimate that the Heartstopper film could be ready for release by spring 2026, but that's just an educated guess for the time being. We'll update this page once more information about the launch date comes to light.

Heartstopper movie cast speculation: Who could return?

The cast of Heartstopper photographed smiling at the zoo, with a giraffe in the background
The cast of Heartstopper. Netflix

The Heartstopper movie will see the return of Joe Locke and Kit Connor to the roles of Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson, which have earned them much acclaim and an adoring worldwide fan base.

The up-and-coming actors have gone on to bag prominent roles in other projects, with Locke joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Billy Kaplan (née Maximoff) in Agatha All Along, while Connor has taken feature film roles in Warfare and The Wild Robot.

At present, only the two leads have been confirmed as returning for the feature-length send-off, although we would be very surprised if other members of the Heartstopper cast didn't join them for the final chapter.

Likely candidates to reprise their roles include Corinna Brown and Kizzy Edgell as Tara and Darcy, as well as Yasmin Finney and William Gao as Elle and Tao – two of the other most prominent couples in the romantic drama.

The supporting cast of Heartstopper season 3 also featured Tobie Donovan as Isaac, Jenny Walser as Tori, Rhea Norwood as Imogen and Leila Khan as Sahar, plus Nima Taleghani and Fisayo Akinade as teachers Mr Ajayi and Mr Farouk.

We'd expect most, if not all, to at least make an appearance as the story winds down, as each of them has played a key role in Charlie and Nick's story thus far – in addition to having their own compelling character arcs.

The Heartstopper series has also been known to feature world-famous talent, including Olivia Colman, Jonathan Bailey, Stephen Fry and Hayley Atwell, so it will be interesting to see if any of them will be tempted back for this sure-to-be emotional conclusion.

Behind the camera, Wash Westmoreland has been announced as the director of the Heartstopper film, whose previous work includes the powerful and Academy Award-winning Still Alice, starring Julianne Moore.

Heartstopper movie plot: What is it about?

Charlie and Nick look at each other while walking down a street together
Joe Locke and Kit Connor star in Heartstopper season 3. Netflix

The Heartstopper movie will be based primarily on the sixth and final volume in Alice Oseman's graphic novels, which is yet to be released.

For that reason, we don't know in great detail what to expect from the film in terms of story, but one key focus will be Charlie and Nick considering their future as they come to the end of their school years.

As depicted in season 3, Nick is considering attending university far from home, which prompts some big questions about whether his relationship with Charlie can withstand going long-distance.

Netflix itself has teased that "doubts" will emerge and their romance will face its "biggest challenge yet".

Depending on who from the television series cast returns, we'd also expect resolutions for the supporting characters, who have faced their own hardships over the past three seasons.

Given that the tone of the show has been generally hopeful and optimistic – despite handling some sensitive issues along the way – we would certainly expect an ending consistent with that approach.

That said, there could be some bittersweet moments as characters are forced to make big decisions about their futures, with Elle eyeing a move to Paris that would take her away from Tao, while Darcy and Tara also have diverging aspirations.

Is there a trailer for the Heartstopper movie?

No, there is no trailer yet – but we'll update this page once new footage becomes available.

Heartstopper seasons 1-3 are available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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Authors

David Craig
David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.

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