Will there be a new Mystery 101 movie? (2024)

If you watch a lot of Hallmark’s mystery movies, then chances are you are a big fan of the Mystery 101 film series. The Mystery 101 films have been airing since 2019, and so far have accumulated an impressive seven instalments over the past few years.

The first film in the series was the appropriately titled Mystery 101, while the most recent entry was Deadly History. That last film aired in 2021, and as fans will recall, it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.

But since Deadly History made its debut there has not been a follow-up – there’s been no further stories and no resolution. So, what gives?

And more importantly, will an eighth Mystery 101 movie air on Hallmark in the not-too distant future, and if so, when will fans get to see it?

Well, let’s take a look at that last question first, because at present, there is no airdate for an eighth movie. Nothing has been announced officially by Hallmark, so no dates can be revealed yet as to when the film series might return.

Not great news, is it? Sorry. However, turn that frown upside down, as better news follows; because as for the question of will there be a new Mystery 101 movie(?), well, the good news is, it is looking very likely! At least, according to one of its stars anyway!

In December 2021, Mystery 101 actor Kristoffer Polaha, appeared on The Hallmarkies Podcast, where he revealed some very exciting news. The actor – who plays the role of Detective Travis Burke on the hit movie series, alongside co-star Jill Wagner as Professor Amy Winslow – made it clear there is a very, very strong possibility that a new Mystery 101 movie could be on the horizon.

Speaking optimistically, he said: “I can tell you that we will make more.” He added: “I do know that Mystery 101 has performed really, really, really, well for the network. They get big numbers rating-wise, and they sell overseas internationally.”

He added: “And I think for a few conversations I’ve had with people at the network, that there’s still very much a heartbeat in the show, and still very much love to continue telling the story of Travis and Amy and Graham. And so there will be more. I think that the fans can take a deep breath and know that there is more to come.”

Although Polaha’s comments were made in an unofficial capacity, and he was clear to say in the podcast that he was speaking on behalf of himself, rather than Hallmark, he does have an inside track on this information. This inside track is a direct link to writer, John Cristian Plummer, who has already scripted the next movie!

Yep, there may be no official announcement, and certainly no airdate for Mystery 101 number eight, but a new movie has been written! Polaha said: “We have number eight. Number eight’s locked and loaded, it’s written, it’s ready. And when you hear what (Plummer) has done with it, you guys will be… the payoff is worth all of the driving.”

So, if Polaha is confident that a new Mystery 101 movie is coming, and the script has already been penned, what is the hold up?

Well, it could be to do with a few backstage changes to Hallmark’s mystery movies, which could be causing a delay. While viewers love the mystery movies, and Hallmark continues to have a great deal of success with them, this year the channel is giving their mystery brand a bit of a refresh.

Speaking in the same podcast, Polaha, said: “I don’t know the ins and outs of what they’re doing day to day. I know that they are rejigging their approach to mysteries.

“As a viewer I think you can see a lot of redundancies between the different mysteries. It’s like a girl with a quirky job meets up with a cop and then they solve crimes together. I think the idea is, ‘why don’t we do mysteries and just make them a little more interesting or a little more diverse? Let’s just kind of mix up the formula’.”

So, while Hallmark has no plans to abandon mysteries, it would seem the network wants to freshen up the offering a bit, and refocus. As a result, it seems like this could be the reason why there is a bit of a hold up on the next Mystery 101 movie and why old favourites haven’t been hitting screens quite as often as they have in the past.

New mystery movies such as To Catch a Spy, Redemption in Cherry Springs, Curious Caterer: Dying for Chocolate, and Cut, Colour, Murder, have been served up by Hallmark in recent months, rather than existing properties. These movies appear to be testing the waters for potential new series to come, while Hallmark is rejigging things on its older brands.

However, the recent return of Aurora Teagarden and Hannah Swensen demonstrate that it is only a matter of time before old favourites make a comeback. So, if you’ve been hoping for a new instalment from one of Hallmark’s more established movie properties, hopefully you won’t have to wait too long.

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