How Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Inspired Two New Christmas Movies

As a die-hard football fan with a soft spot for Hallmark Christmas movies, I can’t help but feel like Santa Claus himself has graced us with an early gift this season. The romance between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce has undeniably brought a touch of magic to the football world, and it’s only fitting that such a fairy tale is now being woven into the fabric of our beloved Christmas movie genre.

Over the past five years, the Kansas City Chiefs have enjoyed considerable success, with three Super Bowl victories under their belt.

Since Travis Kelce started dating Taylor Swift, the team’s name recognition has soared to unprecedented heights. This has led to a significant increase in sales of Kelce jerseys and a boost in viewership for certain games. As the holiday season arrives, two Christmas movies are focusing on the fame of the Kansas City Chiefs, all thanks to the newfound popularity Taylor Swift has brought to the team.

In simpler terms, the Lifetime movie “Christmas in the Spotlight,” which debuted on November 23, offers a fictional portrayal of what the relationship between Taylor Swift and Zach Ertz (or similar high-profile celebrities) might be like. It features Jessica Lord as a popular blonde singer named Bowyn and Laith Wallschleger as football player Drew, both of whom have public personas and are trying to maintain privacy while dating.

The upcoming movie “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” by Hallmark, airing on November 30th, was inspired by a football player from the Kansas City Chiefs dating someone famous. However, it’s not a direct love story between that couple. Instead, the film focuses on Derrick (played by Tyler Hynes), the team’s director of fan engagement who has recently relocated to Kansas City. He finds himself falling in love with Alana (Hunter King), a blonde native of Kansas City who works at a Chiefs memorabilia shop and whose family owns a lucky hat that they believe brings success to the Chiefs. In the film, Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce, makes a cameo appearance as a waitress introducing Derrick to Kansas City BBQ.

Let’s delve into the reasons behind the cinematic portrayals of Swift and Kelce, and understand why their bond, as well as football matches in general, are perfect fits for the Christmas film genre.

Lifetime’s Christmas in the Spotlight

In this movie, the storyline may seem reminiscent to those who kept tabs on Taylor Swift’s relationship with Travis Kelce. It all began when Kelce showered her with praise during an episode of his podcast in July 2023. Later that month, he attended one of Swift’s concerts and attempted to gift her a friendship bracelet with his number on it, as he shared on the same podcast he co-hosts with his brother Jason Kelce.

Later on, Drew finds himself both astonished and overjoyed when he spots Bowyn on the big screen during his game, enthusiastically waving pom-poms. At that moment, all cameras are trained on Swift as she cheers on the Chiefs. Similar to Kelce, Drew has a sibling who’s also a prominent football player; however, unlike Travis’s brother Jason, who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles, the brothers in “Christmas in the Spotlight” play together on the same team.

To keep themselves out of the spotlight, they arrange their dates inside Bowyn’s private plane parked in a garage – the only place offering them seclusion. On these cozy evenings, they cuddle together, watching movies on her laptop. In one instance, Bowyn had a Santa suit delivered to Drew before he entered the garage. One evening, Drew prepared dinner for both and they indulged in what they called “sexy puzzling,” working on a jigsaw puzzle while gently touching each other with the puzzle pieces. They found their perfect match, as if completing a missing piece of themselves. However, one night ended with Drew accidentally spilling wine on his shirt, prompting him to remove it.

How Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Inspired Two New Christmas Movies

In a bid to sabotage Bowyn’s new relationship, her former jealous partner attempts to create drama by confronting her at a gala with a cameraman, asking if she’s dating Drew for publicity, implying the relationship with Drew is just a PR stunt. When asked, Bowyn playfully confirms the relationship but her response gets edited out of context and spread online, causing misunderstanding between them. In an attempt to win him back, she pens a song dedicated to Drew: “Drew, if you’re watching this livestream, you were right. I knew I promised not to fall in love with you, but I couldn’t help it…As long as I’m holding onto you, I promise I won’t mess up again.

Eirene Donohue, a screenwriter and an ardent Taylor Swift fan, expresses her belief that the relationship between Taylor Swift and NFL player Zach Ertz is not a publicity stunt. She wrote the film to honor the pop star, acknowledging that celebrities are often elevated onto pedestals but reminding us that they are simply humans navigating their lives. The movie’s purpose, she suggests, is to foster greater empathy for the challenges of maintaining a new relationship and falling in love under public scrutiny. In what could be seen as a response to those doubting the authenticity of the relationship, Drew, a team member, is quoted as saying that Taylor Swift, who is the most prominent pop star globally with an estimated fortune of billions, doesn’t need football fans. Instead, he appreciates that she’s attracting new fans to the sport.

You can now stream “Christmas in the Spotlight” on mylifetime.com or the Lifetime app. It will also be broadcast on TV on November 29th at 8pm, December 14th at 6pm, and December 25th at 8pm.

Hallmark’s Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story

In “Holiday Touchdown,” Derrick is a fresh face in town, having just joined the Kansas City Chiefs team as their fan interaction director. His department is on a hunt for the “Fan of the Year,” and to gather more information, he visits a neighborhood Chief souvenir store. There, he encounters Alana, who, along with her family, manages the shop and possesses a Chiefs knitted beanie hat claimed to bring good fortune to the team. He strikes up a friendship with them and joins them in their annual Christmas traditions, such as adorning the city with festive decorations.

Alana’s relatives are eager for Alana and Derrick to begin dating. They’ve gone so far as to suggest a playful prank involving flour, such as throwing some on Alana while she’s working on gingerbread art, hoping that Derrick will have to gently wipe it off her cheek. However, Donna Kelce steps in with a platter of cookies and advises them not to rush things, saying “Ladies, don’t push it. Let it develop naturally, I promise you.” This remark subtly references her son’s relationship, but it’s the only hint towards Kelce and Swift in the movie.

Besides it, there’s nothing suggestive or secret related to Travis and Taylor found within the script, according to Julie Sherman Wolfe, writer of Holiday Touchdown.

How Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Inspired Two New Christmas Movies

In their blossoming romance, Derrick escorts Alana to the Chiefs stadium for a private moment in the stands. Unfortunately, her family’s cherished hat vanishes during a holiday toy drive event. Despite this setback, they remain unfazed. When her grandfather, portrayed by Ed Begley Jr., donning his Chiefs jersey, comforts Alana, he says, “Even if the Chiefs lose, I’m still a winner—I have everything: family, friends, love.” Moved, Alana questions whether the lost hat signifies that her and Derrick aren’t destined to be together. “The magic isn’t in the hat,” her grandfather replies, “It’s in what the hat symbolizes—the sense of belonging to something greater than ourselves, knowing that we can rely on each other through thick and thin.

It turns out that Wolfe is a die-hard supporter of the San Francisco 49ers, an interesting twist given she was tasked with writing a Hallmark Christmas film about the Kansas City Chiefs – a team that had recently defeated her favorite team in the Super Bowl. Notably, Hallmark is based in Kansas City. Despite her disappointment, Wolfe transformed her sorrow into a touching script, recognizing that football serves as a unifying force for friends and families alike. Just as Alana’s family believes their hat brings Chiefs victories in “Holiday Touchdown,” Wolfe subtly hinted at her 49ers jacket, believed to bring good fortune to that team. A dedicated fan who understands the intricacies of football, Wolfe aimed to create a Hallmark Christmas movie that would resonate with fans, including references to actual plays in the game.

Holiday Touchdown: A Heartwarming Tale about the Chiefs premieres on November 30 at 8pm on Hallmark’s TV network, and will be replayed throughout December. An extended version of Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story will debut on Hallmark+ on December 12.

Why football movies make the perfect Christmas movies

How Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Inspired Two New Christmas Movies

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but see parallels between real life and the magical world of Hallmark movies. While “Holiday Touchdown” might not have been inspired by a pop star dating a football player, it seems to me that the whirlwind romance between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce has undeniably given us a taste of that enchanting blend of love and football. The media frenzy surrounding their relationship and those heartwarming on-field kisses have certainly made the 2023-2024 Kansas City Chiefs season feel like an unscripted Hallmark Christmas movie unfolding right before our eyes!

So what about the Swift-Kelce relationship makes it prime Christmas movie material?

The holiday season, with its essence of optimism, particularly the belief that miracles might occur, makes it fitting for a movie plot. The storyline of the Chiefs’ remarkable resurgence to prominence following half a century without a Super Bowl victory, coupled with a popular musician and athlete finding love in their mid-30s, seems ideal for a Christmas film. Furthermore, Wolfe notes that Christmas is not only about fairy tales, but also about creating cherished family moments, and for many Americans, watching football together forms a significant part of these memories. Regardless of one’s interest in sports, the steadfast belief in one’s team during challenging times is a timeless message that resonates with people everywhere.

Donohue believes that the Christmas season is an ideal opportunity to release a film like “Christmas in the Spotlight” due to the sense of “faith in wonder” that this time of year brings. He explains, “I believe that’s why people adore Christmas movies. They’re like comfort food. You know they’ll have a happy ending. You seek joy during this season. I am a strong advocate for the power of joy to lift spirits, to motivate, and to provide meaning, so I aimed to create a movie filled with joyful scenes.

Holiday Touchdown’s Wolfe expresses his affection for films brimming with authentic Christmas enchantment – a hint of the mystical or supernatural. He believes that Christmas is the ideal season to showcase such elements as there’s an abundance of magic, faith, destiny, and overall excitement during this time.

2024-11-27 21:07