Netflix Sets ‘Heartstopper: Ending on a Hi’ Special

Logo text

Netflix is getting ready to say goodbye to one of its most beloved series.

The streamer announced Wednesday the release of their behind-the-scenes special, Heartstopper: Ending on a Hi, to celebrate and pay tribute to their Heartstopper series starring Kit Connor and Joe Locke.

“Drawing on unseen archival footage spanning every season through to the final film, the special brings together the cast, creator Alice Oseman, executive producer Patrick Walters and the fans who made Heartstopper a global phenomenon,” the streamer described of the special.

Featuring candid interviews and fans, the special will chronicle the “show’s creative journey, cultural impact and lasting legacy.” Also described as a “love letter to the community it brought together,” Netflix wants to conclude the series with a hello, “because every ending is also a beginning” and “somewhere, someone is about to say ‘hi’ for the very first time.”

Luke Hyams will direct the special produced by Pangaea and exec produced by Sunita Mirchandani Hyams.

The upcoming special follows Netflix’s fan-favorite romance concluding with a feature film titled Heartstopper: Forever, premiering July 17.

Following the show’s season 3 finale which saw Nick (Connor), Charlie (Locke), and many of their friends take their relationships to a new level, the film is set to explore further obstacles in store for Nick and Charlie and wrap up their journey.

Heartstopper: Forever follows “Nick preparing to leave for university and Charlie finding new independence at school” leaving them to face the lingering reality of a long-distance relationship. “Meanwhile, their friends are also navigating the ups and downs of love and friendship, confronting the bittersweet challenges of growing up and moving on. Can first loves really last forever?” the synopsis also reads.

Wash Westmoreland directed the film produced by See-Saw Films. Patrick Walters, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Oseman, Euros Lyn exec produced. Stars Connor and Locke also serve as executive producers for the first time.

The film is written by Heartstopper creator, executive producer and graphic novelist Alice Oseman.

William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown, Kizzy Edgell, Tobie Donovan, Jenny Walser, Rhea Norwood and Leila Khan also star in the film. Olivia Colman, who portrayed Nick’s mother, was recast for the film, with Anna Maxwell Martin joining. “Sadly, Olivia Colman was not able to join us for the film,” Oseman told Netflix’s Tudum. “So we made the very difficult decision to recast the role, rather than exclude the character.”

“We are deeply grateful for Olivia’s beautiful performance as Sarah in Seasons 1 and 2 of Heartstopper, through such iconic moments as Nick coming out as bisexual, and we know that her performance will live on in the hearts of every Heartstopper fan,” Oseman said.

Originally a webcomic on Tumblr and Tapas, Oseman’s Heartstopper has amassed a large online fanbase with over 124 million views to date. Hachette Children’s Group published Heartstopper Volume One in Spring 2019, followed by Volume Two that same year. The completed series, which follows two teenage boys falling in love, spans six volumes. Netflix’s adaptation premiered in April 2022, and each of its three seasons have ranked in Netflix’s Top 10.

Heartstopper: Ending on a Hi will release on July 24.