When Calls the Heart prequel Hope Valley: 1874 set at Hallmark+
As we prepare for When Calls the Heart season 14 to launch in the new year, the last thing we anticipated was a prequel. Yet, that is the news we have to share today and honestly, we could not be more thrilled.
According to a report from Deadline, the Hallmark+ streaming service has ordered Hope Valley: 1874, a series that will chronicle the early days of the community. (This title automatically makes us think about the Yellowstone prequels, but they clearly showed that titles like this work!) Bethany Joy Lenz, Benjamin Ayres, Jill Hennessy, Roan Curtis and Lachlan Quarmby are going to be a part of the cast, and it is our general feeling that the series will be rugged while, at the same time, giving much of the style and tone that you have come to love from the original.
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Per the aforementioned website, the new series is centered around “Rebecca Clarke, played by Lenz, who travels from her home city of Chicago to the Western Canadian frontier with her 11-year-old daughter. But when her wagon breaks down, she has no choice but to accept help from local rancher and confirmed bachelor, Tom Moore (Ayres). Despite Rebecca’s best intentions to remain unattached, the future she dreams of for her and her daughter, along with the people she meets in this fledgling town —including the guarded Tom and tenacious pioneer woman Hattie Quinn (Hennessy) — ultimately compel her to put down roots and make a fresh start.”
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the entire prequel to us is the notion that it could be airing as early as March, especially in an era where so many other shows take years to come out after their announcement. (Then again, we are not speaking here of a big-budget epic with unlimited special effects.)
In a statement, here is what Michelle Vicary, Head of Programming, Hallmark Media had to say about the new announcement:
“Hope Valley: 1874 gives us a wonderful opportunity to further explore the universe of When Calls the Heart and build a deeper world around this show for our devoted fans, who have helped make it one of the most successful and enduring series on television today … We’re excited for the Hearties to join us as we tell this rich origin story filled with the kind of heart, community and hope they know and love.”
Do you think you will watch a When Calls the Heart prequel series?
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