Bethany Joy Lenz to Headline Hallmark’s “When Calls the Heart” Prequel
Get ready, Hope Valley fans: Hallmark is broadening the When Calls the Heart universe with an exciting new prequel series.
Bethany Joy Lenz, Benjamin Ayres, and Jill Hennessy will star in Hope Valley: 1874, which will start production next week, as announced by Hallmark on Friday, December 12.
“Hope Valley: 1874 presents a fantastic chance to dive deeper into the When Calls the Heart universe and enrich the world surrounding this beloved series for our dedicated fans, who have made it one of television’s most successful and enduring shows,” said Michelle Vicary, Hallmark Media’s head of programming, in a press release. “We’re thrilled for the Hearties to embark on this heartfelt origin story filled with the community spirit and hope they cherish.”
The series, set in 1874, is slated to premiere in March 2026 exclusively on Hallmark+. Throughout its eight episodes, the show will focus on the settlement’s early days before it was named Hope Valley.
Lenz, 44, will take on the role of Rebecca Clarke as she journeys from Chicago with her 11-year-old daughter across the Western Canadian frontier.
“When her wagon breaks down, she must seek help from local rancher and lifelong bachelor, Tom Moore (Ayres),” the logline describes. “Despite Rebecca’s intentions to keep her distance, her aspirations for a brighter future for her and her daughter, along with the people she meets in this nascent town—including the reserved Tom and determined pioneer woman Hattie Quinn (Hennessy)—ultimately encourage her to establish roots and begin anew.”
The prequel will also feature Roan Curtis as Olivia, Hattie’s daughter, and Lachlan Quarmby as Constable Alexander Vaughn, described by the network as “one of the first members of the newly formed Royal Canadian Mounted Police.”
Hallmark teased that audiences will encounter “adventurous ranchers, gold prospectors, and early pioneers” throughout the series, who band together to navigate the challenges of a new era and ultimately foster a small, tight-knit community during the hopeful pioneer days.
Before Hope Valley: 1874, Lenz, Ayres, and Curtis, aged 48 and 28 respectively, have all appeared in Hallmark rom-coms. Quarmby made his network debut earlier this year in the three-part Providence Falls movie series, while Hennessy is new to the Hallmark scene.
Fans will have to wait and see how, if at all, the characters of Hope Valley: 1874 connect to the beloved residents they’ve come to adore in When Calls the Heart.
In the meantime, viewers can anticipate season 13 of WCTH starting in January. When the Hallmark Channel series first aired in 2014, it followed the journey of schoolteacher Elizabeth Thatcher, now Elizabeth Thornton, portrayed by Erin Krakow, as she moved from the city to teach in the mining town of Hope Valley.
When WCTH returns, Elizabeth and her boyfriend, Mountie Nathan Grant (Kevin McGarry), will be residing in Cape Fullerton, where her son, Little Jack (Hyland Goodrich), is receiving treatment for his diabetes.
“We don’t often venture outside of Hope Valley, so it’s always quite special when we do,” Krakow, 41, exclusively shared with Us Weekly in November about what’s ahead. “We get to see how their summer experiences have influenced their relationship, both romantically and as a pseudo blended family before marriage, and it’s truly beautiful.”
The actress—who is expecting her first child with co-star Ben Rosenbaum—hinted that Elizabeth and Nathan will return to Hope Valley a little changed.
“Nathan has once again embraced the mustache, which Kevin loves,” Krakow said with a laugh. “He looks great in either style, folks. And Elizabeth also changes her appearance a bit.”
She added: “I believe that both characters are influenced by their time spent in the city, and they bring that back to Hope Valley. So yeah, there will be quite a few interesting changes for them.”
When Calls the Heart will return to the Hallmark Channel for season 13 on Sunday, January 4, at 8 p.m. ET.
