The actors guild has only been on strike for a few days now, but it’s really leaving the fall TV schedule uncertain. Networks like CBS have added staples like Yellowstone to the fall lineup, but what if the strike drags on? Will other fan-favorite TV moments like the Christmas movies schedule be impacted? Will Hallmark fans get their hot chocolate fix when the lineup kicks off in October of November or is something else afoot?
Let’s explore what we know about the upcoming Hallmark movies in 2023.
Will We Still Get Hallmark Christmas Movies This Year?
First and foremost, the answer is yes. In fact, in some interesting timing, Hallmark is already airing its Christmas in July lineup right now. This includes two new original movies A Royal Christmas Crush and Take Me Back For Christmas that both hit the network this month and technically count as original holiday content for 2023. I know what you really want to know about is the large bulk of content that fans expected to be coming later this year, though.
We do know Hallmark has started work on the romances that are expected to come this holiday season. Movies we know were set for the holiday season ahead of the writers and actors strikes include a Christmas movie starring Lacey Chabert and her former Party of Five co-star Scott Wolf. The two are expected to be playing brother and sister again for the small screen venture. Two weeks ago, prior to the SAG-AFTRA negotiation breakdown, the actress had said the upcoming TV movie was already filming, so hopefully that one wrapped before the recent strike.
Another Hallmark movie set at the infamous Biltmore estate in Asheville, North Caroline also got underway earlier this year. That movie actually filmed last January, per reports, and will star One Tree Hill alum Bethany Joy Lenz and Wonder Woman 1984’s Kristoffer Polaha. In May, a local Connecticut newspaper, CT Insider, caught another Christmas movie filming for the network in the town of Mystic.
In the past, both Hallmark and similar networks like GAC have filmed some of their Christmas movies in warm weather. Candace Cameron Bure once revealed how terrible it can actually be to be rocking coats and sweaters while it’s basically sweltering filming. So a lot of these movies do get underway months in advance.
Hallmark has not announced how many of its movies filmed before the actor’s strike at this point, but with at least some movies filming over the last few months, there will be at least some original content coming around the holidays -- and that should remain true even if a strike does linger on.
However, unlike past years, fans may not be able to expect a record number of original movies to cozy up with at night (in 2019 fans got a whopping 40 originals). This year, they may just not happen over as long of a period of time and we may not get as many new projects per week as we've seen in the past.
Are Hallmark Stars Involved In The Strike?
Yes, there have been several Hallmark stars spotted amidst the picket lines. In recent years, former Friday Night Lights star Aimee Teagarden and newcomer star at the network shared a post to her Stories from the picket lines. In addition, Kristoffer Polaha, star of such gems as Haul out the Holly and Rocky Mountain Christmas (with the late Treat Williams), wrote about the SAG-Aftra strike in a post on Instagram.
Our resolve has never been stronger, and together we have enormous power to effect real change in the entertainment industry. One day longer, one day stronger!
Network veteran Ryan Paevey has also reposted comments from Frances Fisher and other actors involved in the guild. And When Calls The Heart star Paul Green also shared his feelings in a longer post, also writing in the captions, "Praying for a swift solution and bright future in a craft I love."
Several other Hallmark stars have pulled out of fan conventions and more, as the SAG-AFTRA rules require actors to not promote any of their gigs as the strike is still ongoing. It’s unclear how long it will last, but the good news is, we should all still have a merry or merry-ish holiday season.
