Debapriya Bhattacharya
Directed by Maclain Nelson, ‘Haul Out the Halloween’ is the third installment of Hallmark’s ‘Haul Out the Holly’ film series set in the fictional neighborhood of Evergreen Lane. While the area is known for its majestic holiday displays, the same has not been true for Halloween. This changes with the arrival of Luna and Marvin, a fun couple who adore the spooky event. To make them feel welcome, the Homeowners’ Association (HOA), which includes the now-married couple Emily and Jared, decides to put together EverSCREAM Lane. The street gets decked with spooky decor, and a mini carnival is set up, with the proceeds being earmarked for charity. The celebration stirs the memories.
Where Was Haul Out the Halloween Filmed?
‘Haul Out the Halloween’ was shot in the state of Utah, with production starting in May and wrapping up by June 2025. Since the Beehive State was the favored location for the shooting of the two previous films in the series, ‘Haul Out the Holly’ and ‘Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up,’ the team is likely to have returned to the same locations in and around Cottonwood Heights for the story of Emily and Jared to continue. Known for its diverse, scenic landscapes, Utah’s natural backdrops include desert vistas and rock-carved highlands. It is also home to bustling urban communities and has state-of-the-art infrastructure for film and television productions, along with a skilled local workforce.
Cottonwood Heights, Utah
Principal photography for ‘Haul Out the Halloween’ is likely to have taken place in and around Cottonwood Heights, situated in Salt Lake County, Utah. The serene suburban landscape set in the backdrop of the Wasatch Mountains made it the perfect place to lens the bright family film. The charming residential areas, in combination with the abundance of parks and trails in the beautified outdoors, became contributing factors in setting up the Hallmark production in the region. Cottonwood Heights is also located within 16 miles of the state capital, Salt Lake City, thus making the infrastructure and skilled manpower necessary for film production easily available. Apart from ‘Haul Out Halloween’ and its direct prequels, other projects that have been shot in Cottonwood Heights include ‘Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers,’ ‘TeenAlien,’ as well as the shorts, ‘Dead Without Your Love,’ and ‘Server’s Blinded Light.’
Haul Out the Halloween: Cast Details
‘Haul Out the Halloween’ brings back the talented cast of the previous ‘Hall Out the Holly’ films, led by Tracy Chabert and Wes Brown. It also includes new members, most prominently Kimberly J. Brown and Daniel Kountz. All four actors are Hallmark veterans, having multiple other projects of the production house under their belts. Speaking with TVInsider, Tracy said of the newcomers, “Kimberly and Daniel have been dear friends for many years. When we started on this third movie, set during Halloween, I just knew that they would be the perfect addition to this hilariously funny cast. I loved making this movie with friends – who so many people grew up sharing this holiday with. It’s a dream come true.”
Lacey Chabert as Emily Melrose
Lacey Chabert steps back into the shoes of Emily Melrose for the third time in ‘Haul Out the Halloween.’ Outside of the film series, she is known for playing Penny Robinson in ‘Lost in Space,’ Gretchen Wieners in ‘Mean Girls,’ Amanda Becker in ‘Not Another Teen Movie,’ and Dana Mathis in ‘Black Christmas.’ Her other acting credits include ‘An Unexpected Valentine’ as Hannah, ‘The Christmas Quest’ as Stefanie Baxter, ‘Hot Frosty’ as Kathy Barrett, and ‘A Merry Scottish Christmas’ as Dr Lindsay Morgan. Lacey also has voice acting credits to her name, and can be heard as Yvonne Frances in ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ and Supergirl in ‘Harley Quinn.’
Wes Brown as Jared Farnsworth
Wes Brown reprises his role of HOA president Jared Farnsworth in ‘Haul Out the Halloween.’ While he notably stars as Chris Griffen in ‘We Are Marshall,’ Luke McDonald in ‘True Blood,’ and Pat Riley in ‘Glory Road,’ Wes also has an extensive list of Hallmark movies in his filmography. These include the roles of Brysen Douglas in ‘Deck the Walls,’ Luke Bellwether in ‘Autumn at Apple Hill,’ Jack Wilson in ‘Love on the Danube: Love Song,’ Victor in ‘My Southern Family Christmas, and Liam in ‘Every Time a Bell Rings,’ among others.
Kimberly J. Brown as Luna
One of the new cast members of ‘Haul Out the Halloween’ is Kimberly J. Brown, who plays Luna. Her acting credits prominently include ‘Bringing Down the House,’ portraying Sarah Sanderson, ‘Tumbleweeds,’ portraying Ava Walker, ‘Halloweentown’ portraying Marnie Piper, and ‘Be Cool,’ portraying Tiffany. She has also starred in projects like ‘General Hospital,’ Crossword Mysteries: Proposing Murder,’ ‘Low Winter Sun,’ Friendship!’ and ‘Guiding Light.’
Daniel Kountz as Marvin
In ‘Haul Out the Halloween,’ Luna is accompanied into Evergreen Lane by her husband Marvin, who is embodied by Daniel Kountz. Apart from the movie, Daniel is seen in ‘Mad Men’ as Gary Osborn, ‘Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge’ as Kal, ‘Ghost Whisperer’ as Cal, and ‘Quintuplets’ as Brady, among other projects. He is also known for lending his voice to video game characters, such as Byggvir in ‘God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla,’ Walter Goodly in ‘Vegas Tales,’ Gale Holden in ‘Lost Planet 3,’ and Francis Watkins in ‘LA Noire.’
The film also boasts a brilliant supporting ensemble, which includes Stephen Tobolowsky as Ned, Melissa Peterman as Pamela, Ellen Travolta as Mary Louise, Laura Wardle as Belinda, Walter Platz as Bob, Carrie Morgan as Gail, Charlotte Witt as Helen, and Eliza Hayes Maher as Jess. The list continues further, with Lila Clark playing Nicole, Ashley Whelan playing Ashlynn Ashworth, Laurie Harrop-Purser playing Grandma Melrose, Abby Villasmil playing Young Emily, Manning Hazen playing Young Jared, and Richard Christy playing Bucky.
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