It’s the beginning of the end of “Heartstopper.”
Netflix announced Tuesday that the British coming-of-age rom-com series will end with a feature film — instead of a fourth season.
“Happy 🍂day! a heartstopper movie, our final chapter based on alice oseman’s upcoming volume six, is coming,” the streamer wrote on Instagram on the three-year anniversary of the show’s premiere.
Netflix announced the “Heartstopper” movie on April 22. Netflix
According to Netflix’s Tudum, the “Heartstopper” movie will reunite star Kit Connor (as Nick Nelson) and Joe Locke (as Charlie Spring). They will also serve as executive producers.
The film, which will pick up after the events of Season 3 and begins filming this summer, is being directed by Wash Westmoreland and written by the show’s creator and executive producer Alice Oseman, who wrote the graphic novels that the series is based on.
Kit Connor, Joe Locke in “Heartstopper.” ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
“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.”
The synopsis for the movie reads, “Nick and Charlie are 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. 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?”
Joe Locke and Kit Connor in “Heartstopper.” ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
Leila Khan, Joe Locke, Kit Connor, Tobie Donovan, Yasmin Finney, William Gao in “Heartstopper.” ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
Fans had mixed reactions to the news of the “Heartstopper” film.
“This makes me so happy that Heartstopper gets the ending it truly deserves,” one fan wrote in the comments of Netflix’s Instagram announcement.
“This just made my day,” another fan said.
A third account commented, “The best news ever, my day couldn’t be better!!🥹.”
Kit Connor as Nick Nelson, Joe Locke as Charlie Spring in “Heartstopper.” ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
But other viewers of the show were disappointed that Season 4 was shafted in favor of a movie.
“No season 4 before the movie is almost angering 😭😭,” a critic wrote.
Someone else penned, “idk I’d prefer 8 hours of episodes instead of 2 hours but whatever ig.”
Joe Locke in “Heartstopper.” ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
Yasmin Finney in “Heartstopper.” ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
“why movie????? only maybe 1-2 hours. we need series with alot duration instead,” a different fan said.
“We want season 4 not a movie sorry but it’s not a good news,” another comment read.
“Heartstopper” helped launch Connor and Locke’s careers when the show debuted in April 2022.
Kit Connor and Joe Locke in “Heartstopper.” ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
Connor, 21, who won a Children’s and Family Emmy Award for his role as Nick, recently starred in “Romeo & Juliet” on Broadway alongside Rachel Zegler and currently stars in the film “Warfare.”
The British actor came out as bisexual in Oct. 2022 after facing queerbaiting accusations over his “Heartstopper” role. He clarified his coming out in a July 2023 interview with British Vogue, saying, “I think ‘forced’ isn’t the right word I would use, but I would say that I would have preferred to do it another way. I also don’t know if I would have ever done it.”
Kit Connor at the “Warfare” premiere on March 27. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
“But at the end of the day I don’t regret it. In many ways it was really empowering,” he added.
Locke’s recent gigs include the Broadway revival of “Sweeney Todd” alongside Sutton Foster and Aaron Tveit and the Marvel miniseries “Agatha All Along,” where he played Wanda Maxmimoff’s (Elizabeth Olsen) son Billy.
Joe Locke at the “Agatha All Along” FYC screening on April 19. Getty Images for Disney
The 21-year-old told Teen Vogue in 2023 that obsessed “Heartstopper” fans stalked his family.
“It’s a weird guilt I sometimes feel that, by association, their lives are affected by choices in my life,” Locke said at the time. “I need to learn my boundaries and people need to learn their boundaries.”
“Heartstopper” also starred William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Tobie Donovan, Corinna Brown, Kizzy Edgell, Rhea Norwood and Jenny Walser.
