It’s a Christmas miracle: the cast of Hallmark Channel’s 2022 smash hit “Three Wise Men and a Baby” have reunited for a sequel — called “Three Wiser Men and a Boy” — to premiere during the network’s 2024 Countdown to Christmas programming, whipping fans into a frenzy with multiple social media teasers.
After 18 months of telling fans and reporters that a sequel was either unlikely or not in the works yet and then teasing fans in early April about a possible reunion, Hallmark superstars Andrew Walker, Paul Campbell, and Tyler Hynes finally got to announce the news on April 25, 2024.
“This was an incredibly ambitious film,” Walker told Heavy exclusively. “We wanted to bring the fans something extra special and I think we exceeded our expectations. It’s got all the heart, humor and charm of the first one and then some. And don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of callbacks to all the fan favorite comments coming your way.”
The trio has reunited to play the Brenner brothers again and revealed the news with a teaser video that has fans swooning. They also posted a photo with two beloved members of the “Three Wise Men” family — actress and screenwriter Kimberly Sustad and Margaret Colin, who will return to play their mom — and a new (adorable) face: kid actor Miles Marthaller, who Hallmark fans may remember from 2023’s “Round and Round.”
Fans ‘Flailing With Excitement’ Over Hallmark Sequel Announcement
Hynes, Campbell and Walker first posted a joint cast photo on social media to announce the sequel news, which was captioned, “You asked…so we’re back. Welcome home 🙂 3 Wiser Men And A Boy 👱🏻♂️🧔🏻🧑🏻🦱 + 👦🏻 Coming this holiday season 🎄 #3WiserMenAndABoy”
That alone whipped fans into a frenzy, thrilled that their requests for a sequel have been granted by the Hallmark powers that be. As news spread across social media, the avalanche of reactions have ranged from comical to heartwarming.
Among the immediate responses on Instagram, one fan responded by saying she was “dying, literally dying,” another admitted to “freaking out!!!!” and someone else declared the announcement the “Best. [Expletive]. Ever.”
“Now that I have calmed down after almost breaking my phone and my back from flailing in excitement, I want to say thanks to whomever made this happen,” another Hallmarkie wrote.
“We won – we really won,” someone else commented. “About to break cable with this premiere. Countdown to Christmas can’t came soon enough”
In an emoji-filled tweet, another fan wrote, “Yippee!! Best News Ever!! Love it Love it Much Laughter, Fun, Shenanigans!! So Happy For You Guys!( And us #hynies) Going to be a Wonderful Christmas! Thank you Thank you”
Shortly after the photo was posted, the stars shared a behind-the-scenes teaser video reminiscent of one that Hallmark released months before the first movie, which featured the trio of actors each stepping out of their trailers in elf costumes.
In the new video, posted above, the door of each character’s on-set trailer is shown as Hynes writes on one, “We’re back.” At the end, the three men stand outside the trailer marked for “Baby Thomas,” and the door opens to reveal Marthaller in an Elvis-like jumpsuit and shades, leaping into Hynes’ arms in slow-motion.
In the comment section, Hynes wrote, “You would ask…and we would just smile 🙂 happy we’re here now 🤍 Christmas came early 🎄✨”
‘Three Wiser Men’ Will Pick Up 5 Years After Original Story Ended
The upcoming sequel very well could “break cable,” as one fan predicted, given that the original movie was the most-watched movie across cable TV in 2022, per Deadline. Inspired by the 1987 hit movie “Three Men and a Baby,” the huge response to “Three Wise Men and a Baby” was fueled by the surprise comedic chemistry of Hynes, Walker and Campbell as the Brenner brothers. From a quickly-choreographed dance number to hijinks with a baby temporarily placed in their care, the movie melted millions of Hallmarkies’ hearts.
“Three Wiser Men” is currently in production and, according to the synopsis, will take place five years after the original movie ended, as the Brenners — Luke (Walker), Taylor (Hynes) and Stephan (Campbell) — prepare for another Christmas together that now includes Luke’s five-year-old son Thomas, played by Marthaller. When the director of his school’s holiday musical steps down suddenly, “Luke is desperate to make his son’s stage dreams come true, so he enlists the help of his brothers.” Meanwhile, per Hallmark, the trio has to navigate all sorts of feelings about their mom’s new boyfriend during the holidays.
Like the original, the script was written by Campbell and Sustad, but this time with help from Russell Hainline, the screenwriter behind recent Hallmark holiday movies “The Santa Summit” and “In Merry Measure,” per IMDb.
To celebrate the announcement, Hallmark Channel will air a “Three Wise Men” mini-marathon of their holiday hits on April 26, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern time. The night will begin with “It’s Christmas Eve,” starring Hynes and LeAnn Rimes, then “Christmas by Starlight” featuring Campbell and Sustad, and conclude with an airing of “Three Wise Men and a Baby.” Meanwhile, over on Hallmark Mystery, Walker stars in the premiere of “Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans” opposite Nikki DeLoach.
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