Hallmark Announces 40 New Christmas Movies and “Finding Mr. Christmas” Competition to Name the Next Holiday Hunk

The sequence marks the community’s first actuality competitors and might be hosted by Jonathan Bennett

• Hallmark introduced on the TCA Summer time Press Tour on Thursday, July 11, that it’s going to debut 40 new vacation films later this yr

• The community’s Hallmark Films Now streaming service might be changed by Hallmark+ in September

• Jonathan Bennett will host Hallmark’s first actuality competitors, Discovering Mr. Christmas, to call a brand new vacation hunk

Oh what enjoyable!

Hallmark introduced on the TCA Summer time Press Tour on Thursday, July 11, that will host the community’s first actuality competitors sequence, titled Discovering Mr. Christmas. The present will see 10 aspiring actors face off in quite a lot of challenges — with a Hallmark twist — to be topped the community’s subsequent main man and take dwelling the title of Mr. Christmas. The winner will obtain a number one position in one in every of this yr’s Countdown to Christmas films on Hallmark Channel.

will function the lead choose and particular visitor judges will be part of her and Bennett, who can be the present’s co-creator and government producer, all through the sequence.

“There are two varieties of individuals on the planet. There are people who watch Hallmark films after which there are liars,” Bennett, 43, stated on the TCA occasion. “The thought for Discovering Mr. Christmas … was sparked out of one thing that’s actually taking place in actual life the place individuals need to be part of the community, they need to be a part of the household as a result of they see how profitable the model is and the way a lot individuals love the model they usually need to be in on the get together. And so we thought, why not make a journey that individuals can watch on TV?”

Bennett stated that the competitors will embrace LGBTQ+ contestants as a result of “I’m a Hallmark vacation hunk and I’m fairly freaking homosexual.”

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“I name it the Kelly Clarkson impact,” Bennett continued. “Why would we fall in love with Kelly Clarkson? Effectively, we watched her journey on American Idol for the primary time to fall in love together with her. So right here we’re truly constructing our subsequent star since you’re going to have the ability to fall in love with our totally different contestants and watch their journey alongside the way in which.”

Hallmark additionally introduced that it’s going to premiere 40 new Christmas films this yr between its flagship and Hallmark Thriller channels, and revealed {that a} new streaming platform, Hallmark+, will roll out in September. Hallmark+ will characteristic new and unique content material — together with Discovering Mr. Christmas and restricted sequence Holidazed and Mistletoe Murders — membership advantages and rewards, unique entry to Hallmark experiences and occasions, and presents all year long. This marks a transfer away from the community’s present streaming service, Hallmark Films Now.

Hallmark+ will launch with the primary film trilogy instructed from a just like its The Marriage ceremony Veil film sequence. The Groomsmen will star Bennett, Tyler Hynes and B.J. Britt.

Discovering Mr. Christmas gained’t be Peterman’s first time being a part of Hallmark’s vacation programming, both. The alum, 53, starred in and its 2023 sequel, Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up, in addition to AGingerbread Romance.

“I feel what Hallmark does so effectively is, you get to know … you’re feeling like you understand the characters, you may relate to them and it feels comforting,” Peterman stated on the . “You possibly can watch it with everyone within the room, which I feel is at all times an awesome factor. And it feels good. Like, you end watching and also you simply really feel higher. It took you to a spot, it instructed you a narrative, which is what I feel, what TV can do the … what TV does greatest is when it tells you a narrative and also you need to be half … you need to be in that story, you need to know these individuals.”

Peterman’s Haul Out the Holly costar has her personal upcoming Hallmark sequence, too. Chabert, 41, will host Celebrations with Lacey Chabert, an unscripted sequence through which she’ll shock youngsters, households and adults who’ve made constructive impacts of their communities with once-in-a-lifetime events. Celebrations with Lacey Chabert will premiere on Hallmark+ later this yr.

“I discovered as a lot as I may in regards to the particular person and their story, and truthfully, most of it’s dwell and on the job as a result of you find yourself speaking to their relations or coworkers or people who they’ve affected their lives for the higher they usually let you know a lot about them and you then discover out a lot about this particular person,” Chabert stated on the July 11 TCA presentation. “After which lastly, with the assistance of those unimaginable get together planners, Lisa, Marissa, we throw them an enormous shock celebration on the finish. After which I lastly get to fulfill the person who I’ve discovered a lot about in preparation for the get together. And it’s each time, it’s simply such a rewarding expertise and so joyful and I can’t await individuals to observe the present.”

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Hallmark stars , and will host exhibits on Hallmark+ as effectively. Brown’s Prepared, Set, Glow! will comply with the actor, 42, as he travels to a number of the most spectacular and festive vacation mild setups to fulfill the individuals behind the shows. Macfarlane, 44, will assist households renovate a room of their dwelling in House Is The place the Coronary heart Is, and Williams, 45, will help mother and father in organising their grownup youngsters in Small City Setup.

“Getting to inform these tales of actual love — I’m a Hallmark actress, however much more than that, I’m a spouse and a mom,” Williams stated. “And what brings me essentially the most pleasure in my life is that so getting individuals are, they’re going to fall in love on our present. I need to officiate weddings, I need to get their infants. So getting to inform a narrative like that in a approach that basically, correctly represents our viewers by bringing them onto the display screen is among the most enjoyable issues that I may even think about.”

Moreover, Hallmark beforehand introduced that it will likely be filming a docuseries aboard its when it on the Norwegian Gem in November. The community stated in an announcement that the present will seize “the magic of the cruise by way of the eyes of essentially the most passionate followers as they embark on the journey of a lifetime” to present viewers “an unique take a look at the immersive Christmas-themed expertise that solely Hallmark can present, sharing within the pleasure and unparalleled pleasure of the fan group.”

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Together with the cruise, Hallmark and Hallmark Media might be internet hosting an immersive occasion this vacation season on the Crown Heart in Kansas Metropolis, Mo., dwelling of the model’s headquarters. Each weekend from Nov. 29 by way of Dec. 23, followers can have the chance to fulfill Hallmark film stars from their favourite vacation movies. Bennett, Brown, Chabert, Hynes, 38, and Williams might be among the many particular friends taking part within the expertise, in addition to , , , , Pascale Hutton, Benjamin Ayres, , Taylor Cole, Crystal Lowe, Brendan Penny and Kavan Smith.

By way of new scripted programming, Hallmark will adapt KJ Dell’Antonia’s New York Instances best-selling novel The Hen Sisters into an eight-episode sequence starring Genevieve Angelson, Schuyler Fisk, Wendie Malick and . The present is anticipated to air in September on Hallmark+.

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