Hope Valley: 1874

Everything We Know So Far About Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart Prequel

Hallmark is expanding the When Calls the Heart universe by going back to where it all began.

Hope Valley: 1874 is an upcoming Hallmark+ original series that serves as a prequel to the long-running flagship drama. Set decades before Elizabeth Thatcher ever arrived, the series explores the earliest days of the settlement that would eventually become Hope Valley—when survival was uncertain, community was fragile, and the town’s defining values had yet to be forged.

While Hallmark has been careful not to overexplain the project too early, enough details have emerged through press coverage, promotional material, and industry reporting to paint a clear picture of what this series is—and how it fits into the broader franchise.

Here is everything we know so far.

When and Where the Series Will Premiere

Hope Valley: 1874 is set to premiere exclusively on Hallmark+ in March. Brian Bird shared in a recent interview that Hallmark has plans to offer a great discount for Hallmark+ before the series airs on the streaming service.

According to multiple reports, the rollout will follow a structured release plan:

The series premiere drops Saturday, March 21 – the day before the season finale of WCTH Season 13
New episodes follow weekly on Thursdays, beginning March 26
The first season consists of eight episodes

This hybrid strategy—launching with a premiere episode before settling into a weekly cadence—mirrors how Hallmark+ has handled other original scripted series and signals that Hope Valley: 1874 is being positioned as a marquee release rather than a low-profile experiment.

As of now, there is no official confirmation that the series will later air on the linear Hallmark Channel, though Hallmark has followed that path with some streaming originals in the past.

What Hope Valley: 1874 Is About

This series is a true prequel, set in 1874, long before the events of the original show.

The story centers on:

The earliest settlers of the area that will become Hope Valley
Fans have questioned that it should actually be Coal Valley, but Brian Bird assures fans that this debate will be resolved when the series airs
The physical and emotional challenges of building a town from nothing
Themes of survival, resilience, faith, and community during the frontier era
The series will feature the adventurous ranchers, gold prospectors and early pioneers who worked together to navigate and embrace the changes of a new era and ultimately build a small, close-knit community in the rugged and hopeful pioneer era.

Hallmark has been clear that the series is designed to be accessible to new viewers, while offering longtime fans deeper insight into the town’s origins. Rather than revisiting familiar characters, the prequel introduces an entirely new ensemble whose choices and relationships help shape the foundation of the Hope Valley viewers already know.

Cast and Crew

The series is led by a cast that blends recognizable Hallmark faces with performers known for grounded, dramatic work.

Confirmed cast members include:

Bethany Joy Lenz as Rebecca Clarke
A central character who travels west with her young daughter, seeking a fresh start and stability in an unforgiving environment.
Benjamin Ayres as Tom Moore
A rancher whose role places him at the heart of the growing settlement and hints at a developing romantic storyline.
Jill Hennessy as Hattie Quinn
Described as a strong, tenacious pioneer woman, suggesting a character with authority and influence within the community.
Roan Curtis as Rebecca’s daughter
Her character underscores the generational stakes of the story and the risks inherent in frontier life.
Lachlan Quarmby as Constable Alexander Vaughn
An early member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, grounding the series historically and introducing law and order into the emerging settlement.
Chelsea Hobbs as Peggy McCabe
Donald Sales as Vince
Tyler Roberge as Nick Douglas
Brad Abramenko as Nash McCabe
Jedidiah Goodacre as Clayton Cooley
A rugged handsome blacksmith

Notably, these characters are not earlier versions of existing When Calls the Heart figures. They are entirely new additions to the franchise, allowing the series to tell a clean origin story without disrupting established canon.

Directors include: (all have directed for WCTH)

Alysse Leite-Rogers
Martin Wood
Mike Rohl

Writers include:

Alfonso Moreno (Creator and Showrunner; former showrunner for WCTH)
Miriam Van Emst (writer for When Hope Calls)
Melody Fox
Jennifer Siddle
Elizabeth Stewart (former writer for WCTH)

Many of the crew from When Calls the Heart were brought on to also work on Hope Valley: 1874.

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Who Is Behind the Series

Brian Bird and Michael Landon Jr., who created When Calls the Heart, are not credited as the creators of the prequel itself. However, both remain closely involved as executive producers, ensuring continuity in tone, values, and long-term franchise vision.

Brad Krevoy, a longtime Hallmark executive producer and a key figure behind many of the network’s scripted projects, is also attached as an executive producer, reflecting Hallmark’s strategic investment in the series.

The day-to-day creative leadership of Hope Valley: 1874 is being guided by Alfonso H. Moreno, a longtime writer and showrunner within the When Calls the Heart universe. Moreno’s involvement places a familiar creative voice at the center of the prequel—someone deeply versed in the franchise’s storytelling rhythms, character priorities, and emotional language.

Other executive producers include Amy Hartwick, Olivia Krevoy, Vicki Sotheran, Greg Malcolm, Susie Belzberg, and Hallmark’s Michelle Vicary. Mike Rohl and Elizabeth Stewart are co-executive producers, and Jennifer Siddle and Melody Fox serve as consulting producers.

In a press statement, Hallmark Media head of programming Michelle Vicary said, “‘1874 gives us a wonderful opportunity to further explore the universe of ‘When Calls the Heart’ and build a deeper world around this show for our devoted fans, who have helped make it one of the most successful and enduring series on television today. We’re excited for the Hearties to join us as we tell this rich origin story filled with the kind of heart, community and hope they know and love.”

What the Trailer and Press Release Reveals

The footage of the trailer and the press release highlights:

Rebecca and her daughter making a difficult journey to the Western Canadian frontier from their home in Chicago
Their wagon breaks down and Rebecca has no choice but to accept help from local rancher and confirmed bachelor Tom Moore
The boardinghouse is not as advertised
The beginnings of a potential romance between Rebecca and Tom
A friendship emerges between tenacious pioneer woman Hattie Quinn and Rebecca
Hattie’s daughter Olivia helps run the traiding post and catches the eye of Constable Alexander Vaughn much to the dismay of Clayton, who harbors feelings for her
Early systems of community and law taking shape
A settlement in its earliest, most unstable form
Harsh living conditions and the necessity of cooperation

Visually, Hope Valley: 1874 leans into a rougher, more rugged frontier aesthetic than When Calls the Heart, emphasizing how far the town still has to go.

Production Details

The series was filmed in Vancouver, consistent with other When Calls the Heart–related productions
Production reportedly began in late 2025, aligning with the March premiere
Production Manager is Michael Magnusson (who also serves as WCTH production manager)

The Bottom Line

At this point, Hope Valley: 1874 is shaping up to be:

An eight-episode Hallmark+ original series
A true origin story for Hope Valley
A project overseen by the original creators of the franchise
A series creatively guided by Alfonso H. Moreno
A standalone entry designed to deepen the larger universe

As additional details emerge—episode titles, directors, and long-term plans—the picture will continue to sharpen. For now, this is what we know about the landscape of Hope Valley: 1874 so far.

What else do you know? Leave a comment below.