The newest installment of the “Haul Out the Holly” franchise is finally here with Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown: “Haul Out the Halloween.” The movie premieres tonight, October 11, at 7 p.m. Central/8 p.m. Eastern. Read on to learn all about where the movie was filmed and the cast involved.
‘Haul Out the Halloween’ Was Filmed in Utah
Like the previous films in the franchise, “Haul Out the Halloween” was filmed in Utah, according to the Utah Film Commission.
Casting calls were posted on Facebook in the Utah Background Acting Troupe Facebook group for the movie in May. They listed the locations as including Sandy, Cottonwood Heights, Salt Lake City, and more. Some of the roles sought included trick-or-treaters, parents of trick-or-treaters, people wearing generic Halloween costumes, carnival attendees, and people in work clothing. The notices shared that May 31 was the last day on set.
The neighborhoods are also the same as previous films. While the initial film was being made, Wes Brown tagged the Cottonwood Heights neighborhood of Salt Lake, Utah, in one of his posts. The second and now the third film were also made in the same area.
Hayes Maher, who plays Chabert’s character’s best friend, told Entertainment NOW that she cut her maternity leave short to make the three-week production, but brought her baby with her while filming. She said Hallmark is very family friendly and encouraging.
“The director Maclain (Nelson) is one of my dearest friends, so I felt extremely supported in that way,” Maher told Entertainment NOW. “And then, between Ellen (Travolta), Melissa (Peterman), and Lacey, I felt so supported by other mothers. The whole cast, really.”
In an Instagram post, Maher said she was “still in a postpartum fog” while filming. She said her baby, Sully, was “learning the ropes from his HOA aunties.”
Melissa Peterman replied, “❤️❤️❤️❤️ these movies have given me so much joy and laughter. But the best part is the friends. I love you. You’re stuck with me forever. So is Sully.”
Chabert shared a behind-the-scenes video from the set.
Ellen Travolta told Spokesman that she was excited about the switch to a Halloween theme.
“For me to be doing these is a great treat,” she said. “There are beautiful young actors and actresses, and I get to play with them, and then we do other things outside of Hallmark. We meet in L.A., we’ll have dinner. We’ll have a weekend in Vegas, so we have a lot of fun together.”
She said she even raps during a talent show scene and it’s a lot of fun. She said it made her “a little nervous remembering those words and then saying them as quickly as I can,” but she really enjoyed it.
Kimberly J. Brown shared a behind-the-scenes video, noting that “there’s love, lots of laughter, and all the neighbors you love” in the film.
Meet the Cast
Hallmark’s synopsis reads: “New, Halloween-obsessed neighbors inspire residents of Evergreen Lane to haul out their spookiest costumes and décor to become EverSCREAM Lane.”
Lacey Chabert returns as Emily. She’s one of the best known Hallmark stars, frequently referred to as Hallmark’s queen of Christmas. She first came to prominence with “Party of Five,” and has been a sensation ever since. Some of her many Hallmark credits include “The Wedding Veil” franchise, the “All of My Heart” franchise, “Pride, Prejudice, and Mistletoe,” “Christmas Waltz,” “Sweet Carolina,” “Christmas at Castle Hart,” “The Color of Rain,” and so much more.
Wes Brown returns as Jared. He’s well known for his role in the hit HBO series “True Blood,” before joining Hallmark. He’s had many other roles, like “NCIS,” “Once Upon a Time,” “Hart of Dixie,” and more. His many Hallmark credits include “Every Time a Bell Rings,” “June in January,” “Christmas at Graceland,” “Sweet Pecan Summer,” and more.
Stephen Tobolowsky returns as Ned. He’s known for credits like “One Day at a Time,” “The Goldbergs,” “Schooled,” “Glee,” numerous movies, and even a Tony award for “Mornings at Seven” on Broadway, and more.
Melissa Peterman returns as Pamela. Her many credits include “Young Sheldon,” “Baby Daddy,” “Reba,” “Working Class,” “The Hammer,” hosting competition shows, film credits, and more.
Ellen Travolta returns as Mary. She’s the oldest of six Travolta children, with John Travolta being the youngest. She has an impressive theater career, with featured roles in works like “Anything Goes,” “Hello Dolly!”, “The Fully Monty,” and more. She also has numerous TV and film credits, like “Welcome Back Kotter,” “Happy Days,” “The Love Boat,” “Lonely Hearts,” “Grease,” and more.
Kimberly J. Brown is Luna. Her credits include “Guiding Light” (which earned her an Emmy nomination,” “Halloweentown” (playing Debbie Reynolds’ granddaughter,” “Tumbleweeds,” “Rose Red,” “My Sister’s Keeper” (a Hallmark Hall of Fame film), “Bringing Down the House,” “Crossword Mysteries” (as Brennan Elliott’s sister), “Low Winter Sun,” and more.
Daniel Kountz is Marvin. He’s well known for his role in “Halloween Town II,” along with other credits like “15 and Pregnant,” “Mad Men,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “Crossing Jordan,” “ER,” and voicing video game roles such as in “God of War: Ragnarok.”
Also starring, according to IMDb, are:
- Walter Platz (Bob)
- Laura Wardle (Belinda)
- Carrie Morgan (Gail)
- Charlotte Witt (Helen)
- Eliza Hayes Maher (Jess)
- Lila Clark (Nicole)
- Ashley Whelan (Ashlynn Ashworth)
- Laurie Harrop-Purser (Grandma Melrose)
- Abby Villasmil (Young Emily)
- Manning Hazen (Young Jared)
- Richard Christy (Bucky)
