EXCLUSIVE: Kristoffer Polaha Reacts to Renewed Calls for ‘A Biltmore Christmas’ Sequel

Though it’s been a year since “A Biltmore Christmas” premiered on Hallmark Channel, there’s been an influx of requests for a sequel to the 2023 time-travel romance, filmed on location at the historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

Interest in the film starring Hallmark fan-favorites Kristoffer Polaha and Bethany Joy Lenz has swelled during the 2024 Christmas season for multiple reasons, including the Biltmore’s triumphant November re-opening after weeks of recovery from devastating floods caused by Hurricane Helene.

In addition, “A Biltmore Christmas” has re-aired multiple times during Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas programming, is one of several Hallmark movies streaming on Netflix through December 31, and — as of December 20 — Polaha is giving fans a special look at the making of the movie in a new behind-the-scenes feature on Hallmark+.

So, could all the renewed interest in “A Biltmore Christmas” inspire a sequel? EntertainmentNOW caught up with Polaha for an update on how the Biltmore is doing post-hurricane and his thoughts on continuing the storyline.

Kristoffer Polaha Thinks ‘There’s a Story to Be Told’ About ‘A Biltmore Christmas’ Characters’ Futures

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With social media requests for a sequel to “A Biltmore Christmas” on the rise from Reddit to Instagram, Polaha told EntertainmentNOW that he’s not aware of any official plans to revisit the movie in a sequel, but said he’s sure it would thrill many people, including the Pickering family, which owns the estate.

“I think they would love (and) be up for a new story,” Polaha said. “I know Joy and I had a blast, the audience made it the most-watched movie last year, and it’s doing great at Netflix.”

Like the fans, Polaha said he’s also curious how 40s movie star Jack Huston and modern-day screenwriter Lucy Hardgrove’s story might evolve. At the tail end of “A Biltmore Christmas,” Huston manages to time travel into the future to chase after Hardgrove.

“I think that there’s a story to be told there,” he told EntertainmentNOW. “Yeah, definitely a hunger there. Does he age faster? What happens? What happens if the hourglass gets set upright again? I think there’s a lot of fun, potential stories.”

Shortly after the movie premiered in 2023, Polaha also told EntertainmentNOW, “I’d love to see what Jack Huston does in the modern Hollywood landscape. That’d be funny because you’ve got all these other (current) actors, and he’d be like, ‘Wait, who? What?’ That in itself would be a fun little storyline.”

Kristoffer Polaha Filmed New Segments for ‘A Biltmore Christmas’ Extended Cut After Hurricane

In late September, Hurricane Helene barreled through Asheville and caused historic flooding, knocking out power, water, and cell service to most residents for weeks, forcing the Biltmore to close until November.

While appearing at the Hallmark Christmas Experience during the weekend of December 20-22, Polaha told fans during a panel discussion that after the hurricane hit, he reached out to Hallmark execs asking if there was anything he could do to promote the Biltmore and inspire people to visit the historic estate.

Hallmark arranged for a camera crew to film Polaha revisiting the Biltmore, he said, explaining that the end result takes viewers “into rooms you don’t normally get to see on tour, I tell stories, we have other interstitials from all the other cast members. It’s wonderful.”

After returning to the Biltmore in late October to witness first-hand the results of recovery work done there since Hurricane Helene swept through, Polaha told EntertainmentNOW that the trip was inspiring and eye-opening. He heard devastating accounts from people who lost family and homes, but also tales of great “triumph” while he was there.

“To see communities like that in our country galvanize, it’s amazing to see what we can do,” he said.