Hallmark‘s 2023 Christmas movie lineup is here.
Of the movies making their debut this year, “Bros” star Luke Macfarlane plays a man claiming to be Santa’s son in “Catch Me If You Clause” while “Switched at Birth” star Katie Leclerc and “Dynasty” actor Rafael de la Fuente play separated parents whose reunion is the object of their children’s desire in “Letters to Santa.”
“Mean Girls” star Lacey Chabert returns alongside “We Are Marshall” actor Wes Brown as a new couple eager to spend their first holiday season together in “Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up,” sequel to their 2022 Hallmark Christmas Movie, while “Murdoch Mysteries” star Alex Paxton-Beesley and “The Bold Type” actor Dan Jeannotte star as art partners paired up to create a holiday mural competition in “Our Christmas Mural.”
To see the full list of new 2023 Hallmark Christmas movies making their debut this holiday season, see below.
“Catch Me If You Claus”
Premiere: Nov. 23
Stars: Italia Ricci (“The Imperfects”), Luke Macfarlane (“Notes of Autumn”)
Logline: Avery Quinn (Ricci) is an aspiring news anchor who’s finally getting her big break on her station’s Christmas morning newscast. But that’s put in jeopardy when she captures an intruder in her home wearing a red suit claiming to be Chris (Macfarlane), Santa’s son, who is on his first mission. A night of adventure ensues as they find themselves being pursued by the police as well as some shady characters. Along the way, they connect over living in the shadow of their parents and inspire each other to go after their dreams.
“Letters to Santa”
Premiere: Nov. 24
Stars: Katie Leclerc (“Switched at Birth”), Rafael de la Fuente (“Dynasty”)
Logline: When young siblings receive a magic pen from Santa that appears to be granting wishes, they request a Christmas gift they want more than anything – for their separated parents (Leclerc, de la Fuente) to reunite.
“Holiday Road”
Premiere: Nov. 24
Stars: Sara Canning (“Christmas at the Golden Dragon”), Warren Christie (“Batwoman”)
Logline: When bad weather leaves each of them stranded at the airport for the holidays, a tech entrepreneur (Christie), a travel writer (Canning), a devoted mother (Enid-Raye Adams) and her son (Kiefer O’Reilly), a stubborn senior (Trevor Lerner), an enigmatic woman with a hint of mystery (Brittany Willacy), a couple traveling from Hong Kong (Sharon Crandall, Ryan Mah) and a social media influencer (Princess Davis) all agree to rent a shared van to embark on a road trip to Denver. When their unexpected journey brings them into uncharted territory, they navigate a series of misadventures together and form a deeper bond that just might change the trajectories of each of their lives. Inspired by true events.
“Christmas in Notting Hill”
Premiere: Nov. 25
Stars: Sarah Ramos (“Parenthood”), William Moseley (“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”)
Logline: Famous soccer star, Graham Savoy (Moseley), has always been too busy for love, but when he comes home to Notting Hill for Christmas, he changes his mind after meeting Georgia (Ramos) – a visiting American and the one person who has no idea who he is.
“Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up”
Premiere: Nov. 25
Stars: Lacey Chabert (“Mean Girls”), Wes Brown (“We Are Marshall”), Stephen Tobolowsky (“One Day at a Time”), Melissa Peterman (“Reba”), Ellen Travolta (“Charles in Charge”), Seth Morris (“History of the World: Part II”), Jennifer Aspen (“Party of Five”)
Logline: As the holidays approach, Emily (Chabert) and Jared (Brown) are looking forward to celebrating the holidays together again, this time as a couple. Emily, now embracing Evergreen Lane’s uniquely festive spirit, is ready to work with Jared, Ned (Tobolowsky), Mary Louise (Travolta) and Pamela (Peterman) to make this year’s Christmas celebrations the best yet – even if being the HOA president’s girlfriend doesn’t stop those dreaded decorating citations. When a house on the block goes up for sale, it causes quite a stir with residents. When the soon-to-be neighbors turn out to be holiday royalty (Morris, Aspen), it looks like this year’s competition is about to heat up. As the welcoming committee prepares for the new arrivals, only one thing is certain – this Christmas, Evergreen Lane is going to sleigh!
“Our Christmas Mural”
Premiere: Nov. 26
Stars: Alex Paxton-Beesley (“Murdoch Mysteries”), Dan Jeannotte (“The Bold Type”)
Logline: Olivia (Paxton-Beesley) is a single mom who returns home for Christmas. Her mom secretly enters her into a mural contest; she wins but partners with teacher Will (Jeannotte) to create a Christmas masterpiece.
“A Biltmore Christmas”
Premiere: Nov. 26
Stars: Bethany Joy Lenz (“Good Sam”), Kristoffer Polaha (“A Winning Team”), Jonathan Frakes (“Star Trek: Picard”) , Robert Picardo (“Star Trek: Voyager”)
Logline: Lucy Hardgrove (Lenz) is a screenwriter who lands the job of a lifetime when she’s hired to pen the script for a remake of the beloved, holiday movie classic, His Merry Wife!, which was filmed in 1947 at beautiful, historic Biltmore House. When the head of the studio isn’t satisfied with the ending Lucy wrote because it deviates from the original’s feel-good conclusion, he sends Lucy to Biltmore Estate for research and inspiration. While there, she unwittingly discovers the ability to travel to the 1947 set of His Merry Wife! through the help of an hourglass. While on set, she and Jack Huston (Polaha), one of the film’s stars, spend time together and become close. But her sudden appearance has set off a chain of events that put the production in jeopardy. Before she can return to the present, Lucy must make things right or threaten to alter the future forever.
“My Norwegian Holiday”
Premiere: Dec. 1
Stars: Rhiannon Fish (“The 100”), David Elsendoorn (“Ted Lasso”)
Logline: JJ (Fish), grieving the loss of her grandmother and seeking dissertation inspiration, stumbles upon an unexpected holiday destiny. Meeting Henrik (Elsendoorn), a Norwegian from Bergen, their connection deepens when he discovers she has a troll figurine from his hometown. To explore the troll’s history and her grandmother’s ties, JJ agrees to join Henrik on a journey to Norway. In Bergen, they’re drawn into Henrik’s family Christmas and wedding traditions, with his sister’s wedding the day before Christmas Eve. JJ embarks on a holiday adventure, uncovering the troll’s origins and finding her own path to healing, love and family.
“A Not So Royal Christmas”
Premiere: Dec. 2
Stars: Brooke D’Orsay (“A Fabled Holiday”), Will Kemp (“The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango”)
Logline: Tabloid journalist Charlotte (D’Orsay) attempts to land an interview with a reclusive Count. In response, the royal family has a groundskeeper (Kemp) pose as the Count since the real one fled years ago.
“Christmas with a Kiss”
Premiere: Dec. 3
Stars: Mishael Morgan (“The Young and the Restless”), Ronnie Rowe Jr. (“Star Trek: Discovery”), Jaime M. Callica (“Ruthless”)
A Mahogany Presentation
Logline: A woman (Morgan) returns home to help with her family’s Christmas Carnival and romance ignites. A photo journalist (Rowe) curates a surprise reunion.
“Magic in Mistletoe”
Premiere: Dec. 8
Stars: Lyndie Greenwood (“Holiday Heritage”), Paul Campbell (“Three Wise Men and a Baby”)
Logline: Harrington (Campbell) is the author of a popular book series but commercial success has left him a bitter recluse. As he returns to his hometown for an annual Christmas festival celebrating his books, he’s joined by April (Greenwood), a publicist for the major publishing house he works with. April is there for damage control after Harrington’s recent comments on social media have ruffled some feathers. But as she gets to know him better, hope springs that April can unlock Harrington’s guarded heart and help him rediscover the spirit of the holiday.
“Christmas on Cherry Lane”
Premiere: Dec. 9
Stars: Catherine Bell (“Good Witch”), Jonathan Bennett (“The Holiday Sitter”), John Brotherton (“Fuller House”), Erin Cahill (“Hearts in The Game”), James Denton (“Good Witch”), Vincent Rodriguez III (“With Love”)
Logline: A young couple preparing to welcome their first child (Brotherton, Cahill); an empty-nester (Bell) and her fiancé (Denton) ready to start a new chapter; and a couple (Bennett, Rodriguez III) who unexpectedly have the chance to expand their family on Christmas Eve celebrate the holiday as they navigate these turning points in their lives.
“Round and Round”
Premiere: Dec. 10
Stars: Vic Michaelis (“Upload”), Bryan Greenberg (“One Tree Hill”), Rick Hoffman (“Suits”)
Logline: Rachel’s (Michaelis) stuck in a time loop, reliving the night of her parents’ Hanukkah party. Can Zach (Greenberg), the “nice boy” Grandma’s trying to set her up with, help her make it to tomorrow?
“The Secret Gift of Christmas”
Premiere: Dec. 15
Stars: Meghan Ory (“Chesapeake Shores”), Christopher Russell (“The Most Colorful Time of the Year”)
Logline: Bonnie (Ory) is a personal shopper who helps her new, widowed client Patrick (Russell) reconnect with his young daughter. Though Bonnie and Patrick’s ideas of shopping couldn’t be more different, she is determined to get Patrick and his daughter everything on their wish list.
“Sealed with a List”
Premiere: Dec. 16
Stars: Katie Findlay (“Walker: Independence”), Evan Roderick (“Arrow”)
Logline: This holiday season, festive Carley (Findlay) sets out to conquer her list of abandoned resolutions from last year. Aided by coworker Wyatt (Roderick), she finds love and the confidence to chase her dreams.
“Friends & Family Christmas”
Premiere: Dec. 17
Stars: Humberly Gonzalez (“Ginny & Georgia”), Ali Liebert (“Bomb Girls”)
Logline: Daniella (Gonzalez) has recently moved to New York to pursue an art career and decides to stay in town to share the holidays with her circle of artist friends, instead of going home to see her sweet, if overbearing parents. Amelia (Liebert) is a talented entertainment lawyer trying to stay focused on her work after a broken engagement. When Daniella and Amelia are set up by their parents, they agree to pretend that they are dating, to appease them for the holidays. However, as they spend time in each other’s worlds, they soon build a connection that is deeper than either of them could have hoped for.
