Creator and author Alice Oseman has shared an update on the upcoming movie finale of Heartstopper, confirming that fans will have to wait until after the final book in the series is published before the film lands on Netflix.

Speaking at the London Book Fair at Olympia, London, Oseman said the film, titled Heartstopper Forever, will only be released after the concluding book in her graphic novel series arrives on July 2.

As per a report on Deadline, responding to a question about the release timeline during a Q&A session, she emphasised that the book must come first. “It won’t be coming out before the book,” she said. “It was so important to me that the book comes out first so people can experience the end of the story in the book. The series was the adaptation, not the other way around.”

Production on the film, directed by Wash Westmoreland, wrapped in July last year, and the project is now nearing the end of post-production. Oseman said only a few finishing touches remain.

“We are literally days away from it being finished,” she said, explaining that the team is currently completing the final visual effects and animation work. Once that is done, the film will move on to dubbing in multiple languages and undergo quality checks by Netflix. “Hopefully by the end of next week it’s going to be sent to be dubbed in various languages and quality-checked by Netflix, but my work on it will be done.”

First released on Netflix in 2022, Heartstopper follows the relationship between two British schoolboys—Charlie Spring, played by Joe Locke, and Nick Nelson, played by Kit Connor—as their friendship evolves into a romantic relationship while they navigate adolescence and identity.

While plot details for the film remain under wraps, the premise of the final book offers clues about where the story is headed. With Charlie focused on becoming head boy at school and Nick preparing to leave for university, the couple begins to confront what the future might look like as they grow older.

Produced by See-Saw Films, the series concluded after three seasons last year. Although the show earned widespread praise and built a devoted fanbase, viewership reportedly dropped by around 30 per cent for the third season, casting uncertainty over a potential fourth season. The film was eventually greenlit as a way to bring the story to a close.

Oseman has remained closely involved with the adaptation process from the beginning. She recalled pitching the series to Netflix alongside producer Patrick Walters, arguing that there was “a gap in the market” for a coming-of-age series centred on a young queer male couple. “Netflix was probably excited about that,” she added.

Before becoming a global streaming hit, Heartstopper began as a self-published project. Oseman initially funded the graphic novels through Kickstarter before they were later picked up by Hachette Children’s Group.