3 New Movies On Tap for Hallmark Buddies Nikki DeLoach & Andrew Walker

Good news for fans of Hallmark Mystery’s “Curious Caterer” franchise, as three new movies are in the works starring Nikki DeLoach and Andrew Walker, who have been good friends since their first movie together, 2016’s “A Dream of Christmas.”

In July 2023, Walker exclusively told Heavy that Hallmark had just greenlighted the fourth and fifth movies in the franchise, exclaiming, “It’s amazing being able to have some sort of stability in our work, to be thriving, and really to be, you know, supported by the network.”

The fourth movie, “Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans,” premiered in April, featuring the first kiss between the crime-solving duo of Goldy Berry and Detective Tom Schultz. By the time it aired, a synopsis for the fifth movie had already been posted by producers, as reported by Heavy, teasing that Goldy and Tom would go on their first official date at a rock concert, only to be distracted by a crime there.

On July 28, 2024, DeLoach, Walker, and their castmates will begin filming that fifth movie, per Deadline. As with most Hallmark movies, the shoot is scheduled to last three weeks, wrapping on August 16, per Creative BC.

In addition to news of the fifth movie’s upcoming shoot in Vancouver, it’s also been revealed that two additional “Curious Caterer” movies have been greenlighted by Hallmark, which will catapult the franchise into an elite group of Hallmark mystery franchises that have managed to continue for seven or more movies.

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What to Expect From Next 3 ‘Curious Caterer’ Movies

The newest movie, “Curious Caterer: Drumstick Drama,” will premiere on Hallmark Mystery this fall, per Deadline. The franchise’s production company, Timeless Pictures, confirmed to the outlet that in addition to DeLoach and Walker, three cast members who’ve been part of the franchise since it debuted in 2022 will return as well: Lochlyn Munro as Dr. Richard Korman, Jaycie Dotin as Marla Maguire, and Riley Davis as Detective Mason Kildea.

Dotin shared the news in her Instagram Stories on July 19 and wrote, “Best team around. Thanks for the love, fam. ❤️”

According to Leading Distribution Partners, a partnership between Timeless Pictures and Howard Braunstein Films, “Drumstick Drama” will begin with a “scheduling app mixup” that causes Goldy to double book catering gigs at a VIP rock concert “while also booked on a first date (finally!) with none other than detective Tom Schultz at the same concert.”

Goldy tries to secretly pull of both, but “things get even more complicated when right as Goldy finally gets a moment to enjoy her time with Tom, a part of the stage lighting collapses on the lead singer mid act. Suddenly, Goldy’s date has turned into a crime scene.”

In addition to “Drumstick Drama,” Leading Distribution Partners has published synopses for two additional “Curious Caterer” movies, with release dates to be determined.

In “Curious Caterer: Tough Cookie,” things go awry when Goldy lands a “temporary stint hosting a cooking show.” In addition to “culinary catastrophes,” an accident claims a life and Goldy, with Tom’s help, uncovers a “minefield of unsolved murders.”

In the seventh greenlit movie, “Curious Caterer: Prime Cut,” she discovers an “unscrupulous rival is driving her out of business and an incompetent contractor has left her precious kitchen in shambles.” After being selected among a shortlist of caterers to help cater a prestigious fashion show, she comes eye-to-eye with her rival and her careless contractor winds up dead.

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‘Curious Caterer’ Becomes One of Hallmark’s Most Successful Mystery Franchises

Hallmark has been producing its popular mysteries for two decades, but there are only a few that have featured as many movies as “Curious Caterer” is about to, now that the fifth through seventh installments are in the works.

The longest running Hallmark franchise, per Collider, is “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” which premiered its 14th movie, “A Tale of Three Letters,” on July 12. The franchise started as a one-season series in 2013 and then moved to a two-hour movie format. A 15th movie, which the cast has already filmed, is scheduled to premiere in 2025.

“Aurora Teagarden Mysteries,” meanwhile, takes the prize as the franchise with the most movies, according to Us Weekly. Candace Cameron Bure, Niall Matter and Marilu Henner starred in 19 movies between 2015 and 2021, when Bure left Hallmark for Great American Family. In 2023, the franchise was revived with Skylar Samuels playing a younger version of Teagarden and Henner returning in her role. In May, Samuels told Heavy she’s filmed two more prequels, bringing the “Aurora Teagarden” movie total to 22.

Another franchise that made it into double digits was Lori Loughlin’s “Garage Sale Mysteries,” which debuted in 2013. According to IMDb, Loughlin starred in 16 movies but didn’t complete the 17th and 18th installments after she and her husband were charged and jailed in a national college admissions scandal.

Other popular mystery franchises over the years have included both of Kellie Martin’s mystery wheels –“Mystery Woman Mysteries,” which had 11 episodes from 2003 to 2007, and “Hailey Dean Mysteries,” which aired nine movies until 2019, per Us Weekly.

“Jane Doe Mysteries” starring Lea Thompson also had nine movies during its run from 2005 to 2008, the outlet reported.

When Alison Sweeney’s “Murder She Baked” and “Hannah Swensen Mysteries” are combined, given that they feature the same characters but different branding (the franchise started out with the first name, but shifted in 2017), that franchise also has nine movies in its lineup, per Us Weekly.

Meanwhile, when “Curious Caterer” airs its seventh movie, it will tie with “Mystery 101,” starring Kristoffer Polaha and Jill Wagner, which also had seven movies, per Us Weekly.

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