Hallmark Channel announces new family movie series

Ah, the good ol' days of the Hallmark Movie of the Week are returning once again.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Hallmark Channel has announced the debut of Walden Family Theater, a weekly destination for films that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Walden Family Theater will feature six original new films from the company that has brought numerous family adventures to life, including "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "Nim's Island." The new features will premiere every Friday night throughout the year, in addition to other entries in Hallmark's vast library.

Michael Flaherty, co-founder of Walden Media, said, "Walden Family Theater is a great step forward for us to continue the Walden mission. These great films we are presenting on The Hallmark Channel and/or making with ARC reinforces our vision to provide families a chance to recapture imagination and rekindle curiosity through entertainment. These films will stand side by side with some of our proudest features like our 'Narnia' movies, 'Holes,' 'Bridge to Terabithia', 'Amazing Grace', and 'Journey to the Center Of The Earth'."

The first film in the series will be a direct-to-television sequel to Walden Media's popular 2008 feature "Nim's Island." The follow-up will find 14-year-old Nim more determined than ever to protect her island and its wildlife in "Return To Nim's Island," premiering March 15th.

The other title announced is "Space Warriors," which follows space camp trainees who take action when danger hits the International Space Station. The film stars Dermot Mulroney ("My Best Friend's Wedding"), Josh Lucas ("Hulk"), Mira Sorvino ("Romy & Michele's High School Reunion") and Danny Glover ("Lethal Weapon"), and is set to premiere in May.

The film series will find the network partnering with Proctor & Gamble and Wal-Mart, which will sell DVDs of the new movies the week after they air.

"We at Hallmark Channel could not have asked for better collaborators for Walden Family Theater than Walmart and P&G, as leading sponsors, and Walden and ARC as producers -- these are all brands that share in our passion for and commitment to family entertainment," said Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Crown Media Family Networks. "This collaboration is a 360-degree effort that allows us a unique opportunity to further revive the practice of families regularly gathering to enjoy television entertainment as a shared experience."