Every year, Hallmark transports viewers to a magical winter wonderland with its “Countdown to Christmas” movies — but what’s it really like filming one of the holiday films?
Us Weekly got an exclusive inside look at the filming of Three Wiser Men and a Boy, which premieres on Saturday, November 23. The movie is a sequel to 2022’s Three Wise Men and a Baby starring Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes and Andrew Walker as brothers Stephan, Taylor and Luke, respectively.
“We’ve gone way more out of the box,” Campbell exclusively told Us during our visit to the Canadian set in April, yes, April! The actor, who also cowrote the film with Kimberley Sustad, confirmed that there will be nods to the original throughout the new movie.
Campbell teased a twist on the Sugar Plum dance, which the brothers famously performed at the end of the first film. “I promise you [it’s] good,” Campbell said of the sequel’s choreography. He added that Three Wiser Men will satisfy fans’ desire for “ridiculous costumes,” revealing, “We have really found the edge of what’s acceptable.”
Hallmark Media (4) Hallmark Channel’s 2024 “Countdown to Christmas” lineup is bigger than ever with 47 all-new original movies spanning across all its platforms. Beginning on Friday, October 18, fans will be treated to festive movies on Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery and the network’s streaming service, Hallmark+. Additionally, there are four miniseries coming to Hallmark+ […]
In the sequel, Luke’s son, Thomas (Miles Marthaller), is preparing for their holiday school musical when the director steps down and the Brenner boys step up.
Us was front and center for two days of the three-week shoot in Canada and we have all the behind-the-scenes secrets for you below. Spoiler, we reveal how they got snow on the ground — despite the sun shining bright all day.
Three Wiser Men and a Box
Tyler Hynes, Andrew Walker, Paul Campbell Johnni Macke/Us Weekly
On a sunny day in April, Us’ reporter was picked up in downtown Vancouver and transported by van to the set location — which is the same mode of transportation for the actors. When we arrived, we were seated in the cafeteria — a lot of the movie takes place at a school — and waited for Hynes and Walker, who came in together.
Over the years, Hallmark Channel has cemented itself as the go-to network for feel-good films, holiday magic and a handsome lineup of leading men. Whether it’s the charmers from When Calls the Heart — including Kevin McGarry and Chris McNally — or the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries franchise heroes, fans always have eye candy to […]
Before the actors started shooting, they headed to hair and makeup to prepare for a photo shoot. Campbell joined them in a gym storage room to take promo shots for the film. (There were extra decorations and fake Christmas trees tucked in among high school chairs and gym equipment.)
Marthaller wasn’t set to film until later in the day, so the three leading men took pictures and saved a space for where he would eventually be spliced in. The backdrop was solid white, but that didn’t stop the stars from turning on the charm.
Jokes All Around
“You look like Forrest Gump!” Hynes told Campbell, trolling his body language during their photo shoot. The trio tried standing together, laughing while holding fake presents and sitting on boxes of all sizes to mimic the mood board presented by the photographer.
Walker posed on a ladder for solo shots meant to look like he was decorating a tree. “Classic ladder fatigue,” Campbell yelled out after Walker started to get sore holding up an ornament in the air.
School’s in Session
The cast and crew, which was mostly a Canadian production team, had to make their film schedule around the high school student’s classes and bell schedule. During the first half of the day, they pivoted from one empty room to another, with only the drama room dedicated to filming.
The cast was only allowed to use bathrooms outside the school, which were in trailers until classes concluded for the day, then they could wander the premises.
“What a trip being in high school,” Sustad exclusively told Us while stopping by to check on production, revealing she will make a small cameo in the film. “We had a version of that at one point where she was a little more of an obstacle at the school, like, the principal or something like that,” she explained. “It was too distracting. The wink is what it needs and it’s what it’s always needed.”
‘Tis the Season to Be Sunny?
While the film is set at Christmastime — the Brenner boys are active participants in the school’s How the Grump Ruined Christmas musical — the weather was much warmer while shooting. Production waited until the students left to film outside and at 5 p.m. local time it was 66 degrees but felt like 74.
The crew quickly transformed the outside of the school to a holiday wonderland with wreaths, and garland. The kids who were waiting to be picked up in the parking lot, however, were ready for summer. One little girl was eating a popsicle while watching the cast at work.
Some of the team, meanwhile, wore tank tops and sunglasses while pretending it had just snowed in front of the camera.
Fishing for Snow
While some Hallmark movies have fake snow — that Ian Harding, who stars in Hallmark+’s Holidazed, previously told Us you should “never eat!” — Three Wiser Men brought in the real thing. Before tapping, the crew hosed down the cement outside the entrance to the school so it wouldn’t look so dry. They then shoveled snow into barrels and sprinkled it on the ground to depict a “just snowed” look.
They used wheel barrels to transport the snow, which was actually fish ice, from the truck it came on to the set. According to the set designers, fish ice stays longer, so they use it for filming.
The director, meanwhile, had a plate of snow under his camera to make the border look like there was even more snow on the ground.
Christmas Really Is All Around
If you’re playing Hallmark bingo, prepare to check off a lot of boxes watching Three Wiser Men, because the holiday decorations don’t disappoint.
There were desktop trees in the principal’s office, a festive bake sale display and homemade play sets in the theater that looked straight out of Whoville. Plus, if twinkle lights are your jam, this movie has a ton.
The Laugh Track
Walker, Hynes and Campbell constantly broke character and exchanged jokes during breaks. During one scene, which was filmed entirely backstage, the brothers decide that Hynes’ should be the narrator of the play which means he gets to wear a special robe. After multiple takes, Campbell laughed, saying, “Robes are for wieners” instead of “robes are for narrators” causing the stars to all crack a smile.
Snack Break
Yes, there was craft services, and no, it wasn’t part of the school cafeteria setup. There was a catering truck for everyone on set with food options including brined pork, lemon panko sniper, chicken alfredo and spaghetti marinara with different desserts each day and sides like the roasted root medley.
If you wanted a snack before the dinner break, you could raid one of two tables of goodies. Think cookies, juice boxes (yes, really) and wraps. There were also Canadian-specific sweets and sandwich varieties on the table walking into the filming hall.
Lights, Camera, Action!
As you’d imagine, filmmaking is not a quick process. Both days Us was on set, taping ran long. Each scene required multiple takes from different angles, which we watched from a monitor either in the high school hallway or in the theater seats. When they weren’t shooting together, Hynes, Walker and Campbell all watched from the crowd.
Sustad, for her part, laughed hysterically while watching Campbell put his body on the line for a joke where he was suspended from the ceiling on a harness. (Trust Us, you will also laugh when you see it.)
Campbell exclusively told Us during a break that Three Wiser Men “defies the expectation of what a Hallmark movie is.” (Hint: There is romance, comedy and craziness with a lot of heart pegged to the Brenner boys’ mom’s love life.)
Corralling the Kids
The Brenner brothers weren’t the only ones on set each day, there were a lot of children to film the ending scene. In between takes, Hynes was spotted faux boxing with some of the kids, while Walker exclusively told Us that he would “barter” with his movie son by offering him “airplane rides” to keep him entertained.
The kids, who sing and dance in the pivotal scene on stage, each had unique holiday attire on as well. Some kids had giant present bows on their beanies to look festive, while others rocked furry boots and wild tights.
That’s a Wrap!
Tyler Hynes, Johnni Macke, Andrew Walker, Paul Campbell US Weekly
Hallmark Channel prides themselves on being the feel-good network with actors who love their fans. After spending two days with this cast, Us can confirm that the stars are just as nice as fans would hope — gifting our team signed copies of their script and of course, taking a photo by the lockers before wrapping for the day.
Three Wiser Men and a Boy premieres on Hallmark Channel Saturday, November 23, at 8 p.m. ET.
