From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The film “A Grand Biltmore Christmas” will premiere at 8 p.m. Dec. 5 on the Hallmark Channel. 

Filmed on location at the historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville and the surrounding area, the romantic time-slip movie features returning cast members, including Jonathan Frakes (reprising his role as Winston the curator), alongside franchise newcomers Holland Roden, Niall Matter, and Andie MacDowell.

Specifically, the story uses a magical hourglass in the estate’s library to tie together a Gilded Age romance and modern-day time travel.

Though not a direct chronological sequel, it shares the magical hourglass mechanics and romantic time-slip premise of the original 2023 movie.

Following is the plot overview:

• Opens on Christmas Eve 1895 — as Biltmore House first opens to guests.

• 13-year-old Elizabeth helps a trespassing teenager named Michael, who is evading security, by pretending she knows him.

• Michael suddenly vanishes after they share an instant connection, while exploring the grounds.

• Twenty years later in 1915, an adult Elizabeth returns to Biltmore with a pushy suitor, only to be shocked when a stranger —Michael — asks her to dance at the Christmas gala.

• The twist — Michael is revealed to be a modern-day tourist who previously used a magical library hourglass to travel into the past. He inadvertently pulls Elizabeth forward into the 21st century, forcing her to choose between her predetermined past and a new future.

Following are cast and production details:

• Stars: Holland Roden, Niall Matter, and Andie MacDowell.

• Writer: Marcy Holland (who also wrote 2023’s A Biltmore Christmas).

• Where to watch: Premieres on the Hallmark Channel and streams the next day on Hallmark.