Though filming three back-to-back movies overseas in just two months was a very tall task, Hallmark heartthrobs Tyler Hynes, Jonathan Bennett, and B.J. Britt say they can’t wait to do it again.
The stars of “The Groomsmen” trilogy, which began streaming via Hallmark+ on October 17, 2024, say they hope their trio of movies — about a trio of close friends — is just the beginning of a long-term franchise.
Jonathan Bennett is Already Planning for More ‘Groomsmen’ Stories
The three “Groomsmen” movies, with prolific Hallmark director Ron Oliver at the helm, follow three longtime friends as they each find love and face the prospect of walking down the aisle. Britt is at the center of the first movie, “The Groomsmen: First Look,” playing Pete, a pediatrician who falls for a woman halfway around the world played by Heather Hemmens.
“The Groomsmen: Second Chances,” out on October 24, will focus on Bennett’s character, baseball coach Danny, while “The Groomsmen: Last Dance,” available to stream on October 31, will center around social media agent Jackson, played by Hynes.
On October 15, during a Facebook Live session moderated by “Entertainment Tonight” reporter Deidre Behar, all three actors confirmed their hope is to continue filming new movies about their characters for as long as Hallmark will let them. Bennett, who pitched the concept to Hallmark and executive produced the movies with Hynes, believes what they’ve created can easily grow into a full franchise.
“It’s the story of Pete, Danny and Jackson — three characters that the audience falls in love with and wants to hear more about and wants to see more about,” he said. “Because our goal was that when the third movie was over, you wouldn’t say, ‘Oh, that’s a great ending.’ You would say, ‘What are the boys up to next?’”
“We want to tell these different chapters in people’s lives,” Bennett continued, suggesting that future movies could follow the trio as they start families and deal with “the mess of life.”
Bennett told People that he’s hopeful viewers will love peeking inside authentic male friendships, explaining, “I don’t think we see a lot of men, whether it be straight or gay, being vulnerable with each other and opening up and saying, ‘Hey, I’m scared of this. Hey, this worries me. Hey, this is something in my life that I think about that makes me uncomfortable and I don’t know what to do about it.’”
Though Hallmark will likely have to see how audiences respond to the first three “Groomsmen” movies before officially deciding to film more, Bennett said he’s already “excited to
continue telling the stories” of the three characters, hoping they’ll get to do “30 of them, until we’re old and gray.”
When Behar asked Britt and Hynes if they, too, were in it for “the long haul,” Hynes agreed when Britt responded, “Done! We’re all together in this.”
It’s not clear yet if the “Last Dance” movie will set viewers up for a continuation of the story, but Hynes told Decider in early October that the trilogy wraps up in a “lovely” way that “hopefully will resonate with people that maybe they don’t see coming.”
How to Watch ‘The Groomsmen’ for Free on Hallmark+
GettyA Tale of Two Trios: Jonathan Bennett and B.J. Britt fight over Tyler Hynes with his “Three Wiser Men and a Boy” co-stars, Paul Campbell and Andrew Walker, at the Countdown to Christmas party in New York on October 17, 2024.
“The Groomsmen” is available exclusively on Hallmark’s new and improved streaming service, Hallmark+, which replaced Hallmark Movies Now on September 10. Subscribers can access hundreds of fan-favorite Hallmark movies as well as exclusive new programming including original movies and series.
The cost of the streamer is $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year, but a seven-day free trial is available to new members. Those concerned about pricing could wait until the end of October to join and then binge watch all three of “The Groomsmen” movies during their free trial before deciding whether to continue or cancel their Hallmark+ membership.
Though executives have said there are no immediate plans to air the new Hallmark+ programming on their cable TV channels, senior EVP of programming Lisa Hamilton Daly told Vulture in September that they’re seriously considering giving some of the exclusive Hallmark+ movies and series a second home on Hallmark Channel or Hallmark Mystery months after their streaming premieres.
For those willing to wait, Hamilton Daly estimated that original series like “The Chicken Sisters” and Sarah Drew’s upcoming “Mistletoe Murders,” which debuts on October 31, could show up on Hallmark’s linear channels in six to eight months. Original movies that debut on Hallmark+ could air on Hallmark Channel or Hallmark Mystery “six to 12 months” later, she said.
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