On the heels of Hallmark’s season 13 debut of “When Calls the Heart,” the network has given fans a teaser of the related series coming soon.
Hallmark is expanding its “When Calls the Heart” universe with “Hope Valley: 1874,” which will air on Hallmark+. Filming for the new series has started, and stars Bethany Joy Lenz and Benjamin Ayres gave everybody a sneak peek at what’s ahead.
‘Hope Valley: 1874’ Brings New Characters & Storylines in Its ‘When Calls the Heart’ Prequel
On January 4, a video featuring Ayres and Lenz was posted on the Hallmark+ social media pages. The “Hope Valley: 1874” stars were dressed in costume, representing their characters from the upcoming “When the Heart Calls” prequel.
As Lenz mentioned in the video, “Hope Valley: 1874” is an original new series for Hallmark+.
Ayres shared, “We can’t wait to take all you Hearties on an incredible journey to the early days of this beloved community.”
Lenz added that there will be “Lots of new characters and storylines you won’t want to miss!”
On December 12, Hallmark announced their “Hope Valley: 1874” project. It will premiere in March and is currently filming in Vancouver, British Columbia.
In addition to Lenz, who starred in Hallmark’s “A Biltmore Christmas,” and Ayres, from “The Santa Class,” Jill Hennessy will be a prominent cast member.
Fans will likely recognize Hennessy from her previous primetime roles on shows such as “Crossing Jordan,” “Law & Order,” and Showtime’s “City on a Hill.”
“Hope Valley: 1874” will consist of eight episodes in its debut season. Hallmark explains that it “explores the early days of the settlement that later becomes Hope Valley.”
Hallmark Fans Have Questions, But Are Excited to See the Series
Hallmark fans and colleagues alike expressed their excitement for the upcoming series.
“Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper!” star Robert Buckley commented on Instagram with a string of clapping-hand emojis.
“A Grand Ole Opry Christmas” star Sharon Lawrence wrote, “So excited to time travel with these fine folks and friends.”
Some Hallmark fans took issue with the show, and town, being referenced as Hope Valley. As one commenter noted, “There is a continuity issue as it was originally Coal Valley. It changed to Hope Valley in season 2.”
Ayres responded directly to that fan, promising, “It’ll make sense when you tune in.”
That response was enough to convince the hesitant Hallmark fan to check it out. She wrote, “Perfect. Thanks for clearing that. I’m definitely tuning in. So excited.”
Ayres posted similar responses in many other comment threads where Hallmark fans asked essentially the same question.
On Facebook, another fan gushed, “I have missed Bethany! Welcome Home! Can’t wait to see this.”
Someone else added, “Two of my favorite Hallmark actors!!”
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Hearties Get a First Look at ‘Hope Valley: 1874,’ Hallmark’s New ‘When Calls the Heart’ Prequel