The Hallmark Channel hasn’t aired a Hall of Fame movie for years, and many fans wonder if these special film presentations will ever return. In a summer press event, Hallmark executives addressed a question about the future of the Hall of Fame franchise, teasing that they might one day bring it back.
Hallmark Is Considering Which Platform Would Be Best for the Hall of Fame Franchise
Hallmark Media made a series of big announcements during the 2024 TCA (Television Critics Association) Summer Press Tour, including announcing a new streaming service that is launching on September 10.
During a Q&A with press attending the Hallmark panel, executives were also asked about the future of Hallmark Hall of Fame and if they might ever bring it back.
Lisa Hamilton Daly, EVP of Programming for Hallmark Media, said they were looking into how to bring back the franchise, shared Meghan O’Keefe of Decider.
O’Keefe wrote on X: “When asked if Hallmark Hall of Fame will be on Hallmark+, Hamilton Daly says they are discussing bringing it back and what platform it will best be served on.”
Matt Mitovich of TVLine shared that this was an ongoing discussion, writing on X that executives said: “We’re continually figuring out how to bring back Hallmark Hall of Fame,” be it via Hallmark+ (launching in September) or linear.”
Hallmark Hinted About a New Hall of Fame Movie in 2023
This isn’t the first time that Hallmark has brought up resurrecting its Hall of Fame franchise.
In an interview with Decider in February 2023, Daly said she was talking with an A-list actress about possibly making a Hall of Fame movie.
“I literally had a conversation today about an A-list actress who might want to come do a Hall of Fame [movie] with us,” she said. She shared the news as an example of how more people were wanting to be part of Hallmark after the network had been making changes.
“I work in Hollywood and I’m getting feedback from the community that it feels different to work here,” she said. “What the output is feels different. We’ve attracted a lot of new creative partners who would never have (worked with Hallmark before.)… I think Hallmark was always beloved, but it’s expanded its audience, it’s expanded what it’s doing, and I think it’s just on a roll right now.”
Hallmark’s Last Hall of Fame Movie Was in 2019
According to Hallmark’s webpage, the network’s last official Hallmark Hall of Fame movie was in 2019.
The movie was “A Christmas Love Story,” which premiered for the 2019 Countdown to Christmas lineup. Kristin Chenoweth starred as a youth choir director who is writing a song for a Christmas Eve show.
Hallmark’s synopsis reads: “She is distracted from her task when a boy with a golden voice joins her choir, which comes as a surprise to his widowed father, portrayed by Scott Wolf.”
The year 2019 saw two Hall of Fame movies. The other was “Love Takes Flight.” This film starred Nikki DeLoach and Jeff Hephner. The synopsis for the movie read: “In the Hallmark Hall of Fame Presentation, single-mom Lizzie Beauman is encouraging when her young daughter unexpectedly befriends a widower named Walter as part of her Mission.”
Hallmark had two Hall of Fame features in 2018 — “Christmas Everlasting” and “The Beach House.” The network also had two in 2017: “The Christmas Train” and “Love Locks.”
According to Hallmark, the first Hall of Fame presentation was an opera in 1951. It was he first opera ever commissioned for television.
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