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A Look Back at the ‘When Calls the Heart’ Movie Starring Stephen Amell, Jean Smart and More

When Calls the Heart remains a beloved Hallmark Channel series, but longtime fans will recall that there was actually a movie before the show’s premiere! A When Calls the Heart movie aired in 2013 and featured two Elizabeth Thatchers.

Season 12 of the Hallmark drama is in full swing, and hopefully Season 13 is on the horizon. From how to watch it to its very familiar stars — Stephen Amell, Jean Smart, oh my! — we’re taking a look back at the 2013 movie that started it all. Scroll down to learn more and check out photos below.

Who was in the When Calls the Heart movie?

The 2013 film featured a star-studded cast. Maggie Grace starred as Aunt Elizabeth in flashbacks alongside Amell’s Wynn. The Hacks star played Frances in the movie. Poppy Drayton played Elizabeth Thatcher, the role Erin Krakow now plays in the series. Lori Loughlin originated the role of Abigail in the movie. Additional cast included Daniel Sharman, Christopher Villiers, and Daisy Head.

Who directed the film?

The movie, based on Janette Oke’s book of the same name, was directed by Michael Landon Jr. He also wrote the script for the TV movie and served as one of the executive producers. He went on to co-create the show with Brian Bird.

Landon Jr. is the son of Little House on the Prairie star Michael Landon.

What’s the backstory of the When Calls the Heart movie?

The When Calls the Heart movie has a fascinating history that’s a testament to the power of perseverance and creativity. It all started in 2007 when Landon Jr. and Bird teamed up to bring When Calls the Heart to life. The movie, with Grace and Amell’s characters at the center, went into production in 2008 and filmed for 11 days before it was shut down.

Unfortunately, the 2008 financial crisis put the movie on hold. Three to four years later, Bird and Landon Jr. got the opportunity to finish the movie for Hallmark. However, Grace and Amell had new work commitments. “They were so sweet to us when we approached them and said, ‘Hey, would you guys be able to help us finish the movie?’ They said, ‘We would love to,'” Bird revealed on the Hearties Hotline Podcast in 2020.

While Grace and Amell were game to return to the roles of Elizabeth and Wynn, they were committed to other projects three years out. “At that point, now it really is dead because how do we finish this movie without our two leads? In those 11 days in 2008 we’d shot the middle of the movie. Act 2 was pretty much done, but Act 1 and Act 3 were undone,” Bird explained.

But one dream changed everything. Bird continued, “Michael called me up and he said, ‘I had this weird dream about a journal.’ I said, ‘You mean like a journal that has 11 days worth of footage from 2008 in it?’

They decided that Grace’s Elizabeth would be the aunt of another Elizabeth Thatcher 20 years later. This young Elizabeth, named after her aunt, also has a passion for teaching. Elizabeth gets her hands on her aunt’s journal, and the footage of Grace and Amell is used for young Elizabeth’s “imagined flashbacks.” While Hallmark had questions about this new direction, they wanted to make it work. Production moved to Romania, and they cast Drayton as young Elizabeth. Sharman played her love interest.

“We knew the footage with Stephen Amell and Maggie Grace was just beautiful and their performances were captivating,” Landon Jr. told From the Desk of Kurt Manwaring. “So we knew we couldn’t give up. But since we were unable to get them back, I created a whole new story that would allow us to incorporate the footage with Stephen and Maggie using them as flashbacks for our new heroine.”

Hallmark gave the greenlight to the When Calls the Heart series, which premiered on January 11, 2014. When the show premiered, Krakow was now in the role of Elizabeth Thatcher. “Truthfully I didn’t really spend any time thinking about that. I wasn’t concerned with putting a unique spin on Elizabeth OR trying to emulate Poppy Drayton’s beautiful performance,” the actress told From the Desk in 2018 about stepping into the role of Elizabeth. “I just approached the role in the way that felt right and truthful to me. And I feel fortunate that that was never really a discussion.”

She added, “I’ll always feel connected to Poppy through Elizabeth. Hopefully we’ll get to work on something together soon. That would be special.” Drayton was recently seen in the Charmed reboot.

Can you watch the When Calls the Heart movie anywhere?

The When Calls the Heart movie is not available on Hallmark+ at the moment. However, you can buy the 2013 film on DVD now!

When Calls the Heart, Season 12, Sundays, 9/8c, Hallmark Channel