Honestly, the "is Heartstopper getting a season 4" question is a bit of a heartbreaker if you’re looking for a simple "yes." Here’s the deal: Netflix actually isn't doing a fourth season. I know, I know—take a second to process that. Before you throw your phone across the room, there is a massive silver lining that most people are missing.
We aren't getting eight more episodes, but we are getting a massive finale.
In April 2025, Netflix officially pulled a bit of a "pivot." Instead of a traditional Season 4, they greenlit a feature-length movie titled Heartstopper Forever. It’s basically the fourth season condensed into a cinematic event to wrap up Nick and Charlie's story for good. It’s weirdly bittersweet. On one hand, less screentime. On the other, we actually get a high-budget ending instead of the show just getting "quietly cancelled" after Season 3, which—let’s be real—happens to way too many Netflix hits.
Why did Netflix skip Season 4 for a movie?
It wasn't just one thing. It was sorta a "perfect storm" of logistics and math. First off, the viewership for Season 3 dipped. Reports suggest it was down about 30% compared to the earlier seasons. In the world of streaming, that’s usually a death sentence.
Then you’ve got the cast. Joe Locke and Kit Connor aren't the unknown kids they were in 2022. Joe is busy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (shoutout to Agatha All Along), and Kit has become a massive name in film and fashion. Their contracts were up, and trying to coordinate the entire ensemble's schedule for a full four-month shoot was basically impossible.
Joe Locke actually mentioned in an interview that trying to get everyone together for a full season would have taken years. By then, they’d all be 25 playing 18-year-olds. It wouldn't have worked. The movie was the compromise that allowed Alice Oseman to finish the story without waiting until 2029 to film it.
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What is Heartstopper Forever actually about?
The movie is pulling straight from the upcoming Heartstopper Volume 6 graphic novel and the Nick and Charlie novella. If you’ve read the books, you know where this is going. If you haven't, hold onto your hats.
Season 3 left us with that looming cloud: University.
Nick is looking at schools like Leeds, which is a good four hours away from Charlie. The movie focuses on that final summer and the reality of a long-distance relationship. It’s about Nick trying to find an identity that isn't just "Charlie’s boyfriend" and Charlie learning to be independent while managing his recovery.
The Production Timeline
- Filming: Officially wrapped in July 2025.
- Director: Wash Westmoreland (known for Still Alice) took the reins from Euros Lyn.
- Release Date: Netflix has confirmed it’s coming in 2026.
Alice Oseman has been pretty vocal about the fact that she’s written the script herself. She wanted to make sure the "heart" stayed in it, even if the format changed. Both Kit and Joe are also serving as executive producers this time around, which is a pretty cool step up for them.
The Volume 6 connection
There’s a reason the movie is taking its time to come out. Alice Oseman is a stickler for the "books first" experience. She’s gone on record saying she "devoutly" needs the fans to read the end of the story in graphic novel form before they see it on screen.
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Heartstopper Volume 6 is scheduled to hit shelves in July 2026.
Expect the movie to drop shortly after that. It’s a calculated move. It ensures the hype for the book feeds the movie and vice versa. It’s also confirmed to be the absolute end. No Season 5, no spin-offs (yet), just one final, "magical conclusion," as Alice put it.
What most people get wrong about the "Cancellation"
You’ll see a lot of TikToks saying "Heartstopper was cancelled." That’s not really true. Cancellation is when a streamer cuts a show off without an ending. This is a planned conclusion.
The story was always meant to end around this point in the timeline. High school romances in TV shows usually get weird once everyone goes to college anyway. By choosing a movie, the production avoids the "Glee effect" where they have to invent reasons for everyone to stay in the same town or introduce a whole new cast of freshmen that nobody cares about.
Who is coming back?
While the full cast list hasn't been pinned to a literal board, the core group is a safe bet:
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- Kit Connor (Nick) and Joe Locke (Charlie) — obviously.
- William Gao (Tao) and Yasmin Finney (Elle).
- Corinna Brown (Tara) and Kizzy Edgell (Darcy).
- Jenny Walser (Tori) and Darragh Hand (Michael).
There is still a big question mark over Olivia Colman. She was missed in Season 3 due to scheduling, but fans are holding out hope for a final cameo as Nick’s mom. It just wouldn't feel right without her "I'm sorry if I made you feel like you couldn't tell me" energy.
How to prepare for the end
If you're feeling the "post-series blues" already, the best move is to get your hands on the Nick and Charlie novella. It’s a short read, but it covers a lot of the emotional ground the movie will likely explore. It deals with the awkwardness of those final weeks before someone leaves for Uni and the fear that "forever" is a lot harder than it looks in comic books.
Also, keep an eye on July 2, 2026. That’s the UK release for the final book, with North America following on July 7. If you want to avoid spoilers for the movie, you’ll want to read that book the second it drops.
The transition from a series to a movie is a big change, but honestly? It’s better than the alternative. We get a proper goodbye. We get Alice Oseman’s vision. And most importantly, we get to see Nick and Charlie’s story finish on its own terms.
Start by catching up on any of the novellas you might have skipped, like Radio Silence or Solitaire, which flesh out the wider "Osemanverse" while you wait for the 2026 premiere.