ET exclusively unveils the stars of the upcoming original Hallmark Channel holiday films.
It's never to early to start counting down to Christmas!
With a record 36 holiday movies slated to premiere later this year on either Hallmark Channel or Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, ET can exclusively reveal details on two of those original Yuletide films, including one starring network favorite Alicia Witt.
Witt will topline House on Honeysuckle Lane, based on the Mary Elizabeth McDonough novel, for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, her first Christmas movie for the channel but sixth overall for the Hallmark family. The 42-year-old actress has appeared in holiday films the past five years, most recently starring in 2017's The Mistletoe Inn (pictured above) for the Hallmark Channel.
In House on Honeysuckle Lane, Emma (Witt) returns home to celebrate Christmas for the last time with her siblings in the house they grew up in. After their parents' recent passing, the siblings reluctantly agree to sell the family home on Honeysuckle Lane, leaving Emma in charge of their belongings. While Emma’s mother’s collection is being appraised, they find a hidden surprise that takes them on a journey to discover the power of love and family during the holidays.
The second holiday movie is Return to Christmas Creek, also for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, starring network newcomer Tori Anderson (Blindspot, No Tomorrow). Steven Weber, Kari Matchett and Stephen Huszar also star. Minus Huszar, who co-starred in 2017's Magical Christmas Ornaments, this movie marks the cast's holiday movie debuts.
Here's the official logline: "After being rejected and told that the new idea for her holiday app lacked the spirit of Christmas, young dot com CEO Amelia (Anderson) decides to return home to her Family Inn she grew up at in Christmas Creek. She is just in time for the anniversary of the Fly By Santa event that her family arranges. Her uncle (Weber) is a charter pilot who flies over the town dressed as Santa each Christmas Eve to deliver presents to under-served children in neighboring communities. Amelia was his co-pilot until her family moved away after her father and uncle had a quarrel that split the family apart. Years later, Amelia agrees to revisit the Family Inn where she heals old wounds and reconnects with the family, life and love she left behind in this festive holiday town."
Earlier this year, ET caught up with Lacey Chabert, who stars in her seventh original Christmas movie Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe this year, about the universal appeal of Hallmark Channel's happy endings.
"One of the things I love about it is you're guaranteed a happy ending," Chabert said in July. "There are always obstacles along the way, but I think in the world we're living in today, to be a part of a project that adds a little love and light and levity into the world is something I'm very proud of. People I run into on the street who talk about the movies, and fans who contact me on social media, that's really the No. 1 thing people say: 'Thanks for making something my whole family can watch that's uplifting.'"
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