Sartaj Singh
A new Hallmark movie about Christmas, football, and family is in the works! The network has greenlit the television film ‘Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.’ The Holiday movie is set to begin filming in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 6. John Putch is directing the TV movie based on a screenplay by Julie Sherman Wolfe. Tyler Hynes, Hunter King, and Ed Begley Jr. lead the cast. The Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, and Skydance Sports team up together with Hallmark for the production.
The plot revolves around a 4th-generation football super-fan who tries to win Fan of the Year so she can give the prize to her hardworking family as a Christmas gift. Alana Higman (King) is sure that her family’s lifelong history as Kansas City Chiefs superfans makes them a frontrunner to win the team’s “Fan of the Year” contest. Derrick (Hynes), Director of Fan Engagement, is tasked with evaluating how Alana and her family stack up against the other two finalists.
As the narrative progresses, Alana and Derrick spend time together, and it becomes clear that there’s a spark between them, but when her grandfather’s (Begley Jr.) vintage Chiefs, good luck winter hat goes missing, Alana begins to doubt everything she believed about fate and destiny and even questions her future with Derrick – unless, that is, a little Christmas magic can throw a Hail Mary.
Putch is a veteran filmmaker whose popular credits include ‘American Pie Presents: The Book of Love,’ ‘The Father and the Bear,’ and eight episodes of NBC/ABC’s ‘Scrubs.’
Hynes is known for playing Dierks in Hulu’s sitcom ‘Letterkenny.’ His recent credits include Luke in ‘Shifting Gears,’ Jake in ‘A Picture of Her,’ and Josh in ‘Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas.’ On the other hand, King has appeared in over seven hundred episodes of ‘The Young and the Restless’ as Summer Newman. She also portrayed Danielle Turner in ‘Two Scoops of Italy,’ Jordin in ‘The Santa Summit,’ and Nikki Sullivan in ‘Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths.’ Ed Begley Jr. was last seen as Dr. Linkletter in ‘Young Sheldon,’ Bill in ‘Not Dead Yet,’ and General Bill Meekins in Christian Bale’s ‘Amsterdam.’
The Kansas City locations of the TV film include the GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Previously, ‘My Sweet Holiday’ and ‘Sarah, Plain and Tall’ were filmed in the region. The city is also notably hosting the Hallmark Christmas Experience between November 29 and December 23, 2024. Visitors will be immersed in the classic holiday charm of Christmas markets, ice skating under a giant Christmas tree, and sipping hot chocolate while watching a music and lights show. The event will also be attended by various Hallmark stars during its four weekends, having fan interactions and providing behind-the-scenes peeks of their work.
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