Fanatic Feed: Neil Patrick Harris Heads to Netflix, Major Hallmark & GAC Family Scoop, & More!

Here is a wrap-up of all the news you need to know from Wednesday, May 4, 2022.

We have casting news, premiere dates, renewals, and some shocking news about the SAG Awards.

Scroll down!

Another Hallmark favorite has signed a deal to remain where viewers have fallen in love with him. Crown Media Family Networks and Luke Macfarlane have signed a multi-picture deal, the company announced today.

“Luke is an actor whose ability to bring to life characters with heart makes him a fan favorite and we are lucky to work with him,” remarked Lisa Hamilton Daly, Executive Vice President, Programming, Crown Media Family Networks.

“I’m excited to be part of the joy that Hallmark brings to their viewers – not only for Christmas but to be able to participate in telling these heartfelt stories all year long,” Macfarlane said. “I’m really grateful to have this opportunity.”

But it's even better for fans, who have grown to love his work with Crown Media in such films as A Valentine’s Match, Chateau Christmas and Taking a Shot at Love.

In similar news, GAC Family announced an upcoming addition to their 2022 Great American Christmas lineup.

The working title of the movie is The Christmas Farm, and it stars holiday favorites, Jill Wagner and Cameron Mathison.

Janie (Wagner), a rising marketing executive living in The Big Apple, returns to her hometown of Woodland Falls when her Great-Uncle Randall passes away. Janie is not prepared for the gift Randall has bestowed on his last living relative: the family homestead, Janie’s childhood home.

While not immediately sure what to do with a fully functioning farm, Janie agrees to honor Randall’s final request to plan and host Woodland Falls’ annual Winter Wonderland as Randall’s gift to his community.

Randall has even arranged for his farmhand, Dylan (Mathison), to help at the event, which is being held in the farm’s sprawling barn.

Aware that her Manhattan boyfriend is anxious for her to return to the city so the pair can jet off to a previously planned holiday on the beach, Janie begins to feel an unexpected emotional tug about living life in a more authentic, meaningful way.

GAC Family’s Great American Christmas kicks off October 28, 2022, and in anticipation of the second annual holiday programming event, the network is airing encore presentations of 2021’s fan-favorite Christmas movies each Saturday throughout May and June.

Over in the land of streaming, HBO Max has renewed the comedy series Julia for a second season.

The series, which debuted March 31 on HBO Max, concludes its first season on May 5.  

The series is inspired by Julia Child's extraordinary life and her long-running television series, "The French Chef," which pioneered the modern cooking show.

Through Julia's life and her singular joie de vivre, the series explores a pivotal time in American history - the emergence of public television as a new social institution, feminism and the women's movement, the nature of celebrity and America's cultural evolution.

At its heart, the series is a portrait of a loving marriage with a shifting power dynamic.

The series stars Sarah Lancashire as Julia, David Hyde Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, Brittany Bradford, Fran Kranz, and Fiona Glascott.

Meanwhile, Peacock's The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip has scored a premiere date for its second season.

For the first time since their departure from The Real Housewives, several of the most unforgettable ex-Housewives will collide for a much-anticipated vacation at one of the most iconic homes in franchise history: Dorinda Medley's Bluestone Manor.

The Peacock Original series will take viewers on a trip down memory lane as the ladies indulge in the lush countryside of the Berkshires with top-notch luxury, hilarious escapades, and non-stop drama.

The new season will feature eight all-star Housewives alumnae from coast-to-coast, including Dorinda Medley and Jill Zarin of The Real Housewives of New York City, Phaedra Parks and Eva Marcille of The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Also along for the ride is Vicki Gunvalson and Tamra Judge of The Real Housewives of Orange County, and Brandi Glanville and Taylor Armstrong of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Three of the seven episodes will drop on premiere day (June 23), with a new episode available to stream each Thursday following.

Check out the trailer below.

Meanwhile, Netflix has confirmed a premiere date for its upcoming Darren Star (Emily in Paris, Sex and the City) comedy series.

The series premieres July 29.

"Michael (Neil Patrick Harris) thought his life was perfect until his husband blindsides him by walking out the door after 17 years," reads the logline.

"Overnight, Michael has to confront two nightmares — losing what he thought was his soulmate and suddenly finding himself a single gay man in his mid-forties in New York City."

Check out the teaser.

Finally, TNT and TBS have confirmed they will no longer be airing the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The news comes as the cable networks exit scripted programming, so it is likely another cost-saving move as Warner Bros. Discovery finds its footing.