Chicago Bears Star in Upcoming Hallmark Film
The Chicago Bears are set to hit the screens in an upcoming Hallmark movie, following the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills’ lead. The film is titled Holiday Touchdown: A Bear Love Story, with production slated to begin this summer.
Every time I think about this, it raises the question—what’s the backstory here? Well, I once dabbled in screenwriting, so I took a crack at crafting a potential plot for this Bears-centric Hallmark flick.
Picture this: the movie opens with sweeping drone shots of Chicago, accompanied by the tune “25 or 6 to 4” by Chicago. A bit cliché, perhaps? That aside, it sets the stage.
Our protagonist, Chandra Ditka (no relation), is a driven advertising exec who can’t seem to grasp the appeal of football, which she finds a bit barbaric. Her father, Dick Ditka, often invites her to Bears games, but she’s usually too caught up in work to join.
Then, just before Christmas, she’s in line for her daily Italian beef sandwich—classic Chicago!—when she meets Brad Bearman, a charming guy who shares her culinary taste. They bond over their love for Italian beef, and before long, they’ve arranged a date.
On their first outing, they end up staring at the Bean statue for what feels like ages, until Brad suggests going to the Bears game the following day since they’re playing the Packers. Chandra is hesitant—her interest in football is minimal—but she goes along with it, not wanting to disappoint him.
The next day, she teams up with her quirky friend Janice for a quick shopping spree on Michigan Avenue. We see a montage of them trying on various team jerseys, with Janice humorously shaking her head at each one.
When Brad picks her up that evening, she’s donning a DJ Moore jersey, one he just happened to buy for their date. This little detail raises Brad’s suspicions—could she be a fair-weather fan?
During their Uber ride to the game, Chandra juggles work duties, replying to emails for a new ad campaign featuring DUDE wipes for women while Brad vents about his intense dislike for the Packers. His reasoning stems from a childhood trauma—his parents were killed by a robber wearing a Packers hat. It’s oddly reminiscent of a Batman plot point.
Upon arriving at Soldier Field, Chandra spots her father alone in the crowd. She feels conflicted, wanting to keep her outing with Brad a secret from him. So, whenever Dick gets up to leave his seat, she tries various disguises to avoid being seen, including awkwardly sporting a large fake mustache borrowed from a fellow fan.
Despite the somewhat tense situation with her dad, Chandra and Brad enjoy their time at the game, even as Brad gets into a shouting match with a guy sporting a cheesehead. As the Bears score a game-winning field goal, they agree to see each other again. However, chaos ensues when Dick returns just as they share a moment, and he realizes who’s sitting next to his daughter.
Chandra apologizes profusely for not joining him and instead going on a date. Surprisingly, her dad takes it in stride, claiming he enjoys going solo to games for the freedom it allows.
As they leave, Chandra suggests they attend the next game together, but her dad insists he prefers to watch alone. Chandra shrugs it off, deciding to just stock up on Bears merchandise instead.
Chandra and Brad plan to keep attending games together, navigating the quirks of their developing relationship. And as they head out for late-night deep-dish pizza, there’s a hint of a spark, setting the stage for their future together.
The movie wraps with a playful twist, leaving viewers thinking, “Could there be a sequel?”
