The whole “queer actors playing queer roles” discussion is the reason check please hasn’t been live actioned yet btw they’re trying to hire queer actors but they can’t find an authentic twink to play Eric Bittle who wouldn’t shatter like glass after the first choreographed check. Heard they might get a skinny butch from Portland to cross dress for the role.
Ukazu says, a rising tide lifts all boats, including the S.S. Check, Please! She’s hopeful that the success of Heated Rivalry, as well as another queer romance graphic novel-turned-TV show Heartstopper, will make the dream of seeing her work onscreen into a reality: The book has been optioned for adaptation. — Vanity Fair
Check, Please! has been optioned for a film/television adaptation. A while ago, actually—and that’s lovely. Nevertheless, the vast majority of options do not become television because it takes a million things going right to get projects off the ground.
That being said.
Ahem.
Speaking of getting projects off the ground...
From when Bitty first stepped out into the rink at Faber, to when he kissed the ice at graduation, we've all been part of this fun, weird, magical world of Samwell hockey. But when I left the world of Samwell hockey, I left knowing Jack and Bitty's story was done. Bitty's journey as the first openly gay NCAA Division I hockey captain was done. We baked the last pie; we shut off the lights at the kegster; the story was complete.
…But as I looked around I realized, I had one more story to tell.
Which is why I'm thrilled to announce that a brand new volume of Check, Please! will be serialized in 2026. Dozens of new comics, exciting update drops, your favorite characters with brand new storylines, and characters you've yet to meet.
Hello, Internet Land—SMH is coming home.
This fifth year of Check, Please! will be filled with shenanigans, drama, hockey, pies, Haus parties, and a new message of acceptance that is near and dear to me. And it's been brewing over the last year and half! But with the latest boom in queer hockey stories, I figured, hey! ¯\(ツ)/¯ Here's another one to look forward to. :)
Marginalized athletes still face harmful bigotry, and for this reason, queer sports stories are more important than ever. I love Samwell hockey and how each of you has embraced this roster of athletes.
There's so much more to come.
Ngozi
🏒🥧❤️
=
MORE NEWS? SURE:
I’ll be at Emerald City Comic Con 2026, and yes, I will be dropping exclusive details about Check, Please! Year Fived during my spotlight panel: Ngozi Ukazu - From Check, Please! to DC and Back! (Be there!)
Follow me on Patreon for behind-the-scenes on the making of Check, Please!: Year Five. I'm gonna livestream...a lot.
If only there were an original mm romance that you could read right now while you wait for more Year Five updates! Good news—John Rich & The Big Picture is very cute and laugh-out-loud funny and you can read it now, for free.
My latest graphic novel FLIP has made the best-of lists for the New York Public Library, the A.V. Club, Kirkus Books, School & Library Journal—and more. Get it here.
coming across Ngozi’ shitposts are like blearily stumbling into the kitchen & not only is your local celebrity there but she is also eating all your midnight snacks
[Image ID: An Image of Nursey, Dex and Chowder from Check, Please! A pride flag is edited over the image, along with the text "I don't like 'em putting chemicals in the water that turn the friggin' frogs gay". /End ID.]
[textless version under the cut].
[Image ID: The same image as above, without text].
how many people at samwell came out to Bitty after they saw the vlog where he advises not to "fall in love with a straight boy" only to get their hearts broken, and it absolutely confuses the hell out of Bitty because he isn't aware that anyone at samwell follows his channel and has no idea why these people keep coming out to him and leaving all disappointed when he says "i'm so happy for you, thank you for trusting me!" or something equally affirming
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