The CW Books 6 Harlequin Romance Movies For Fall — Stars Include Flash, Arrow And Glee Vets
The CW's yet-to-be-revealed fall slate will include a half-dozen TV-movies based on "beloved and bestselling Harlequin novels," it was announced on Tuesday.
Danielle Panabaker (The Flash), Katherine McNamara (Arrow, Walker Independence) and Amber Riley (Glee) are among the movies' headliners.
First out of the gate will be Montana Mavericks, starring McNamara and getting a limited theatrical release (the weekend of Aug. 26) ahead of its primetime showcase on The CW.
"The CW has been building a passionate weekend audience of movie lovers, and this new slate of original films is for romance fans everywhere," Heather Olander, Head of Scripted and Unscripted Content, said in a statement. "These feel-good stories, inspired by hugely successful blockbuster Harlequin novels, are the perfect blend of nostalgia and escapism, and thanks to our exciting partnership with Fathom Entertainment, we're thrilled to bring these films to the big screen first — giving fans the chance to laugh, swoon, and fall in love, together in theaters this summer."
▶ Montana Mavericks stars McNamara as a "New York City girl and a best-selling author on a mission to conquer writer's block" when she inherits a family ranch in Montana. Dennis Andres (Workin' Moms), Linda Kee (Ride) and Kaya Coleman (Beyond Black Beauty) also star.
▶ Second Guessing Fate — which I really hope adds a hyphen at some point — stars Panabaker as a successful event planner who has given up on dating until a fortune teller says that she is "one last horrible date away from true love." Corey Sevier (Cedar Cove), Brendan Morgan (The Big Cigar), Jocelyn Chugg and Ari Rombough also star.
▶ In Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell, the title character (played by Riley) juggles a high-stress/low-thanks job, a stalled situationship and the love-worn kitchen she inherited from her grandma. Dorian Grey (Transplant), Nadine Whiteman (SkyMed) and Malaika Hennie-Hamadi (The Handmaid's Tale) also star.
▶ Paws in the City stars Emeraude Toubia (Shadowhunters) as "a social media whiz" whose career hits the skids, and she in turn finds herself caring for a "dachshund diva." Carter Jenkins (Famous in Love) also stars.
▶ In Ordinary Girl in a Tiara, "When vintage fashion devotee Caro Cartwright (Transplant's Katharine King So) agrees to harbor her childhood nemesis turned couture heiress Philippa Levreaux (YOU's Kathryn Gallagher), fireworks explode."
▶ And in Recipe for Romance, "Would-be enemies turn to heartwarming lovers in this story of two warring businesses in Little Manila." True O'Brien (Days of Our Lives) and Alex Mallari Jr. (Ginny & Georgia) star.
What do you think of The CW's latest pivot, to Lifetime Movies-land?