Appearing in Chiefs Hallmark movie: Coach Andy Reid, a slew of players. Kelce too?

A slew of Kansas City Chiefs players, as well as head coach Andy Reid, will appear in the Christmas movie “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story,” the Hallmark Channel announced Thursday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour.

In addition to Reid, Chiefs guard Trey Smith, wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr., running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and defensive end George Karlaftis will also appear.

And what about Travis Kelce, whose romance with Taylor Swift clearly inspired the film?

Lara Krug, the Chiefs’ chief marketing officer, said she had not talked to Kelce about the film.

“I have not had a direct conversation (with him) but he is a fan of the (Hallmark) brand and he is a huge part of the Chiefs’ story in the past, (present) and future,” Krug said. “I think he is certainly excited to see Kansas City and the Chiefs doing something that brings people together.”

Samantha DiPippo, Hallmark’s senior vice president of programming, did not rule out a Kelce appearance.

“We’re still drafting some players,” she said, “so I think you guys have to stay tuned.”

The road to “Holiday Touchdown” began in January when the Chiefs posted “Falling for Football,” a Hallmark movie parody that starred Tyler Hynes, who’s also the star of “Holiday Touchdown” with Hunter King (“Life in Pieces”).

“Our playoff campaign was all around celebrating our Chiefs fans,” Krug said, “and we came up with the idea of doing the trailer ‘Falling for Football’ as an ode to what Hallmark does so well. … My biggest thing was hoping Hallmark would respond on social media and see it as an ode and not anything else. It was one part of a much bigger puzzle in making this partnership and movie come to life.”

Krug said it feels like the Hallmark-Chiefs collaboration “has been meaning to happen for a long time as two legacy brands and family-owned organizations that are about joy and uniting people.”

Hynes, who said he’s not “a sports guy,” said his whole experience with the Chiefs, beginning with that fake Hallmark movie trailer, has been “pretty special.

“I found myself very enthralled in their journey to the Super Bowl,” he said. “The folks of Kansas City are very excited. Anybody who’s a fan of romance or sports or anything in the vicinity of that will resonate with a story centered around something universal, which is family love and passion for a team or sport.”

King, a self-described “Swiftie,” agreed.

“We’ll take all the Swifties (watching) we can get,” she said. “It’s about love and passion and football and Christmas and family, all things that are so important in my life and I feel like that’s (Taylor Swift’s) brand as well. I feel like they would totally dig this movie.”

DiPippo was generally tight-lipped about KC details featured in “Holiday Touchdown,” though she promised many Chiefs “Easter eggs” and the film will include a cameo by young Chiefs fan and red-carpet correspondent Taylen Biggs.

The film’s plot focuses on Alana Higman (King), who is sure her family’s history as Chiefs superfans will make them front-runners in a “Fan of the Year” contest. Derrick (Hynes) is the Chiefs’ director of fan engagement who evaluates Alana and her family for the contest, and of course, sparks fly between Alana and Derrick. When Alana’s grandfather (Ed Begley Jr.) can’t find his vintage Chiefs good luck winter hat, Alana begins to doubt her beliefs about destiny.

DiPippo described the film’s creation as a collaborative effort with the Chiefs, noting that originally the script by Julie Sherman Wolfe featured a vintage Chiefs ballcap rather than a winter hat.

“One of the members of the Chiefs team said, ‘This reminds me so much of my grandfather who had this winter hat and he wore it every year and I remember him shoveling snow in it and it became my father’s and one day it will be mine,’” she said. “I texted Julie: It’s a winter hat now.”

DiPippo, who said “Holiday Touchdown” marks the biggest Hallmark movie ever made, described filming scenes on on historic Independence Square, where she said fans showed up in Christmas sweaters. Scenes are also being shot at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

“It’s amazing to film in Kansas City, the home of both of our iconic brands,” she said.

Krug said the film’s focus on fans is particularly appealing to the Chiefs organization.

“It’s about celebrating the fans and this passion and that’s what we’re so proud of with the Chiefs,” she said. “We talk about being fans of our fans but to get to tell a story about the fans and family, I think all of our organization, including the players, are proud of that as well.”

Other actors cast in the film include Diedrich Bader (“American Housewife”), Megyn Price (“The Ranch”), Richard Riehle (“Barry”) and Christine Ebersole (“The Kominsky Method”). “Today” host Jenna Bush Hager will make her acting debut in the film.

“Holiday Touchdown” will air as one of 40 films in Hallmark Channel’s and Hallmark Mystery’s 15th annual “Countdown to Christmas” programming event that usually begins airing in late October.

Earlier on Thursday Bush Hager, who co-hosts “Today With Hoda & Jenna,” announced she would have a small speaking part in the movie.

“First of all I thought it was about Taylor and Travis and thought I got the Taylor role, but I didn’t. Shocker,” Bush Hager joked.

In addition to previewing “Holiday Touchdown” at the press event, Hallmark announced plans to launch a new streaming service in September. Hallmark+ will replace Hallmark Movies Now in an effort to better blend the card and gift store’s retail footprint and media business.

The cost of Hallmark’s streaming offering will rise from $6 per month ($60 annually) to $8 per month ($80 annually) and will include a member benefits program: monthly $5 Hallmark Gold Crown Store coupons, free unlimited e-cards, rewards for shopping and surprise gifts.

Hallmark+ will have new programming exclusive to the platform, including a roster of unscripted shows and the September premiere of scripted series “The Chicken Sisters” starring Lea Thompson and Wendie Malick. The service is an effort to better connect disparate businesses: the card stores and the TV channels.

“Our viewers are our shoppers and our shoppers are our viewers,” said Hallmark CEO Mike Perry. “We see this as an opportunity to expand our storytelling and align all of our brand touchpoints.”

Perry said the launch of Hallmark+ will not impact its shows streaming on Peacock.

Freelance writer Rob Owen: RobOwenTV@gmail.com or on Facebook and Twitter as RobOwenTV.

Includes reporting by The Star’s Lisa Gutierrez.

This story was originally published July 11, 2024 at 2:54 PM.