The CW Orders 6 Primetime Movies Inspired by Harlequin Romance Novels
The CW has ordered six new primetime movies inspired by Harlequin romance novels, with 'Walker: Independence' star Katherine McNamara set to star in the first one, 'Montana Mavericks.'
In addition to 'Montana Mavericks,' the CW has ordered five other movie adaptations for the books, including 'Ordinary Girl in a Tiara,' 'Paws in the City,' 'Recipe for Romance,' 'Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell,' and 'Second Guessing Fate.' The movies feature stars from beloved CW series, like Kathryn Gallagher ('Gossip Girl') and Danielle Panabaker ('The Flash').
Those five films will air solely on the CW's primetime lineup this fall, while 'Montana Mavericks' gets a theatrical release in August through a partnership with Fathom Entertainment. As part of the deal, 'Montana Mavericks' will be released nationwide in select theaters Aug. 26-27, before debuting on the CW this fall.
'The CW has been building a passionate weekend audience of movie lovers, and this new slate of original films is for romance fans everywhere,' head of scripted and unscripted content for the CW Heather Olander said. '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.'
'We're thrilled to partner with Centinel Media, the CW Network and Fathom Entertainment to bring Harlequin's great love stories to life on the big and small screens,' Harlequin EVP and publisher Brent Lewis said. 'This is an exciting opportunity to tell the incredible stories of our authors in a new medium to millions of Harlequin fans and new audiences alike.'
In 'Montana Mavericks,' McNamara stars as Heather, a New York City author who heads on a Western adventure with her two best friends when she inherits a ranch in Montana, leading her to a fateful meeting with cowboy-next-door, Cliff ('Workin' Moms' actor Dennis Andres).
'Fathom Entertainment prides itself on building innovative partnerships to bring quality content to theaters and experience the magic of the big screen,' Fathom Entertainment CEO Ray Nutt said. ''Montana Mavericks' brings legions of fans from the highly successful Harlequin franchise, and Fathom looks forward to working in collaboration for the first time with Nexstar and its team at The CW for this highly anticipated project.'
The CW's movie telecasts and original documentaries have reached over 26 million viewers.
The post The CW Orders 6 Primetime Movies Inspired by Harlequin Romance Novels appeared first on TheWrap.
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