Hallmark Channel surprised viewers during its “Christmas in July” event with news that fan‑favorites Lacey Chabert and Andrew Walker will headline She’s Making a List, their first screen pairing since 2018 and their maiden Christmas film together.
The romantic comedy, now shooting, will anchor the 16th Countdown to Christmas season in late 2025, with Chabert also serving as executive producer. Early details point to a “naughty‑or‑nice” auditor who falls for a widower, a premise Hallmark executives say delivers the brand’s trademark warmth while capitalising on proven star chemistry.
Hallmark Channel sprang the announcement during the premiere of Unwrapping Christmas: Lily’s Destiny, complete with an on‑set video from the leads that aired in the network’s annual July programming blitz.
The film reunites Chabert and Walker for the first time since My Secret Valentine, ending a seven‑year gap fans have frequently bemoaned on social media. It is also their debut holiday collaboration, a fact Chabert called “a joy” while dubbing Walker “the gift that keeps on giving” in a statement issued with the reveal.
Titled She’s Making a List, the movie casts Chabert as Isabel Haynes, an official tasked with auditing Santa’s naughty‑or‑nice rolls who ends up evaluating a mischievous 11‑year‑old—only to develop feelings for the child’s widowed father, Jason Duncan (Walker). The screenplay explores whether Isabel trusts a rigid algorithm or her heart as Christmas nears, according to a network logline.
Filming is under way on location in British Columbia, with Hallmark planning a late‑season premiere as part of the 16th year of Countdown to Christmas, which likewise marks Chabert’s 16th holiday outing for the company. Hallmark senior vice‑president Jennifer Kramer hailed the pairing as “a dream for viewers” and promised a blend of heart and humour “that only these two can deliver.”
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The rollout aligns with Hallmark’s broader 2025 strategy, which includes an expanded Christmas Experience theme park in Kansas City and a star‑packed Christmas Cruise, both designed to draw superfans beyond the living‑room screen. Analysts say marquee reunions such as Chabert‑Walker help the cable stalwart retain eyeballs against streaming challengers eyeing the lucrative holiday‑rom‑com niche.
