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Pasadena, Calif. - As part of its continuing programming expansion, Hallmark Movie Channel will double its production slate in 2012.
The Hallmark Channel spinoff, which now counts some 45 million subscribers, is eyeing a build-up that will ultimately yield between 24 and 30 telefilms per year.
"Hallmark Movie Channel continues its pace to become America's most sought-after, family friendly movie channel," said Michelle Vicary, executive vice president, programming, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel. "This year, the production slate for HMC doubles and will continue to double year over year until the network reaches between 24-30 titles annually. "As we build our library of HMC Originals, viewers will see all the ways our two family friendly networks differentiate themselves - Hallmark Channel, a big, general entertainment network with lifestyle, classic series and original movies that focus on celebrations, occasions, family and holidays, and Hallmark Movie Channel, a 24/7 dedicated movie network with diverse film genres including mysteries, westerns, coming-of-age dramas, epic fantasies, science fiction, social dramas, love stories and comedies.
In the meantime, Hallmark Movie Channel detailed five original movies it will premiere during the first half of 2012:
Goodnight for Justice: The Measure of a Mancenters around a judge, who travels to a town in Wyoming that is being terrorized by a gang of thieves, while running into a past love. Premiering Jan. 28 at 8 p.m., it stars Luke Perry and Stephanie Von Pfetten.
Duke, premiering April 28 at 8 p.m., stars Sarah Smyth, Allison Hossack and Steven Weber, who plays a disabled veteran who is estranged from his family following his return from war. Through a series of events he reconnects with his daughter 10 years later.
Lake Effects focuses on a high-powered attorney, who returns to her childhood home to attend her father's funeral and help her sister and mother settle the family estate, reigniting her affection for the townspeople in the process. Starring Jane Seymour, Ben Savage, Sean Patrick Flanery, Casper Van Dien, Scottie Thomas, Jeff Fahey and Madeline Zima, it will debut sometime in May.
Hannah's Law takes place in the Old West, where a bounty hunter attempts to track down the outlaw who killed her family a decade earlier. Premiering June 9 at 8 p.m, it stars Sara Canning, Kimberly Elise, Danny Glover, Billy Zane and Greyston Holt
Always a Bride, starring Kellie Martin and Ethan Erickson, will debut July 21, at 8 p.m. Martin plays a bride-to-be who during her bachelorette weekend in Las Vegas wakes up to find she married another guy by mistake (Erickson).
