WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 19, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ION Television wants to "Share the Joy" with viewers this holiday season, today announcing the premieres of five all-new holiday movies in 2015. The new lineup, which includes "A Prince for Christmas," "Merry Kissmas," "How Sarah Got Her Wings," "A Christmas Truce" and "A Christmas Reunion," kicks off Sunday, November 29, and will run throughout December along with 23 returning favorites from ION's holiday movie catalog.
ION Television will also debut its first-ever Halloween-themed movie, "You Cast a Spell on Me," October 25 at 7/6c. The premiere kicks off ION's newly minted Wicked Week, which features the spookiest episodes from the network's hit lineup and a viewers' choice block each night leading up to Halloween. And, in February 2016, ION will premiere its second Valentine's Day-themed movie, "Heart Felt."
"ION Television has continued to solidify its reputation as one of the prime destinations for holiday movie viewers," said Brandon Burgess, Chairman and CEO of ION Media Networks. "With a robust catalog that now features nearly 30 new and original titles, the network has built a franchise that our fans have come to know and love as they return year after year."
ION Television will look to build on that success following its 2014 holiday season, which saw its most successful viewer ratings to date. Last year's slate averaged 893,000 total viewers and was up year over year in both primetime (Avg. 1.1 million viewers; +2%) and non-prime (Avg. 755,000 viewers; +6%).* The December 21 airing of "12 Wishes of Christmas" delivered 1.6 million viewers, the network's largest audience of the season.
ION TELEVISION ALL-NEW MOVIE PREMIERES
| YOU CAST A SPELL ON ME – U.S. Television Premiere, Sunday, October 25, at 7/6c |
| Cast: Nikki Deloach, Ryan McPartlin, Briana Lane, Jonathan Patrick Moore, Harley Jane Kozak |
| Production Company: MPS Entertainment Group, acquired from MarVista Entertainment |
| A man dressed as a fireman at a Halloween party is in fact a handsome warlock, and to his surprise his powers fail him once he smooches the mortal girl of his dreams, the formidable Sara. Did his powers transfer to her? In any event, he must woo her the old-fashioned way, with romance, while also unraveling a loveless engagement to a witch from his council. |
| A PRINCE FOR CHRISTMAS – U.S. Television Premiere, Sunday, November 29, at 9/8c |
| Cast: Viva Bianca, Kirk Barker, Aaron O'Connell, Mark Lindsay Chapman, Kelly LeBrock, Maxwell Caulfield |
| Production Company: Hybrid |
| Experiencing cold feet about his upcoming arranged royal wedding, a charming European prince steals away incognito to the U.S. in search of true love. Pretending to be someone he isn't, the prince-on-the-lam meets Emma, a diner waitress, whose Christmas needs considerable brightening. |
| MERRY KISSMAS – U.S. Television Premiere, Saturday, December 5, at 9/8c |
| Cast: Karissa Staples, Brant Daugherty, Brittany Underwood, Ion Overman, Roxanne Hart, Doris Roberts |
| Production Company: Feifer Worldwide, Inc., acquired from MarVista Entertainment |
| Unwinding her relationship from a controlling choreographer, Whitney happens to fall for a handsome man, Sebastian, who she shares a magical kiss with on a chance elevator encounter. But, when the choreographer begins to make nice and Sebastian is the one who makes some missteps, Whitney is torn on which man she really loves. |
| HOW SARAH GOT HER WINGS – U.S. Television Premiere, Sunday, December 6, at 9/8c |
| Cast: Lindsey Gort, Derek Theler, Melanie Liburd, Caleel Harris, Jeremy Luke, Daniel Di Tomasso, |
| Production Company: Fancy Pants Films, acquired from MarVista Entertainment |
| There's no room in heaven for Sarah unless she rights one wrong from her past by Christmas. Sarah thinks her unfinished business has to do with Jordan, the ex-boyfriend she jilted, who has since moved on to love another woman. |
| A CHRISTMAS TRUCE – U.S. Television Premiere, Saturday, December 12, at 9/8c |
| Cast: Craig Olejnik (ION's "The Listener"), Ali Liebert, Kate Vernon, Josh Blacker, Pauline V. Egan, Adam DiMarco, Mike Dopud, Luke Roessler |
| Production Company: Odyssey |
| During a shaky 24-hour holiday truce amid the Battle of the Bulge, American Captain John Myers and a Belgian farm girl, Alina, fall in love. Forced to separate when fighting resumes, the couple vows to reunite, under a bell tower, the first Christmas Eve after the war ends, if each is alive and eager. |
| A CHRISTMAS REUNION – U.S. Television Premiere, Sunday, December 13, at 9/8c |
| Cast: Denise Richards, Patrick Muldoon, Jake Busey, Catherine Hicks, Parker Stevenson |
| Production Company: Hybrid |
| A Madison Avenue executive, Amy, discovers an unusual Christmas surprise when she inherits her Aunt's hometown bakery. The real surprise comes when she learns the other half of the bakery was left to her long-ago boyfriend, Jack. Unresolved personal issues resurface between them, as the exes return home to co-manage the store, along with its traditional holiday cookie bake-off. |
| HEART FELT – U.S. Television Premiere, February 2016 |
| Cast: To Be Announced |
| Production Company: Odyssey |
| After a year during which she couldn't put her "lying" former boyfriend, Jackson, out of her mind, Molly finally meets and falls in love with Greg, who is almost too good to be true. Just as Greg makes plans for a Valentine's Day proposal, Molly finds herself face-to-face in a business negotiation with the remorseful Jackson, leading her to revisit past feelings. |
*Source: Nielsen Live+SD Data
About ION Television
A leading U.S. general entertainment network, ION Television combines high-quality programming and dependable distribution with an attitude of innovation and growth. Its "Positively Entertaining" network brand positioning features a formula of proven series, an expansive catalog of blockbuster movies and a commitment to introduce new original programming. ION Television has grown its Adults 25-54 audience by 160% since its 2007 launch and has consistently remained among the top 15 entertainment networks. For more information, visit www.iontelevision.com.