Scholastic Entertainment, the media division of Scholastic, is developing three movies for the Hallmark Channel based on books from the company. The titles set to be adapted for the screen are The Angel Tree by Daphne Benedis-Grab, You’re Bacon Me Crazy! by Suzanne Nelson, and Playing Cupid by Jenny Meyerhoff. The films will be co-developed with film production and distribution company Basset Hound Distribution, and executive produced by company founders Alexandre Coscas and Michael R. Goldstein along with Scholastic Entertainment President Iole Lucchese, SVP & General Manager Caitlin Friedman, and VP of TV Development Jef Kaminsky.
Coming on the heels of its recent The Trail movie announcement with Imagine, this is the latest deal in Scholastic Entertainment’s strategy of leveraging its extensive library to develop content for new platforms — theatrical, streaming and broadcast.
“Hallmark’s commitment to presenting what its audience wants, year after year, is incredibly impressive and we’ve long had the company on our radar as an ideal partner for Scholastic Entertainment,” said Friedman. “We are thrilled to be working with Basset Hound Distribution to create movies for Hallmark’s slate, which includes a compelling storyline for younger viewers that incorporates elements of adult romance, ensuring enjoyable viewing for all ages.”
“Heartwarming romances, emotional storytelling, and feel-good messages about family and tradition is a winning proposition for Hallmark Channel original movies,” said Bill Abbott, President & CEO, Crown Media Family Networks. “Novels to original movies have expanded our original movie lineup and the success of the Hallmark brand on TV, and we look forward to partnering with Scholastic and Basset Hound to create three new, soon-to-be classic rom-com films.”
“When Scholastic approached me about bringing the company’s IP to the Hallmark Channel, I thought it was a brilliant idea to combine two of the most iconic family brands in the business to develop movies,” said Coscas. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Scholastic and Hallmark to produce these films and to be part of this unique and exciting new collaboration.”