Lining the streets alongside entrances to the buildings tucked under North Michigan Avenue this week are movie trailers and trucks hauling equipment for an upcoming film centered around Chicago, its football team, and the winter holiday season.
Crew members and people involved with “Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story” — a Hallmark Media, NFL and Skydance Sports movie featuring the team that was announced last month — could be seen loading equipment, moving costumes and wardrobe pieces, and ducking in and out of the six trailers parked on Lower St. Clair Street on Thursday.
The presence of the crew marks an update in the film that was first announced by coach Ben Johnson and tight end Colston Loveland on June 25 and put out casting calls shortly after. Hallmark previously sent out a call for extras to film at Soldier Field on July 7 and 8 for football fans at least 18 years old, adding that extras must be willing to wear “winter attire” while filming during the daytime this month.
Filming is set to take place entirely at locations in and around the city, “showcasing iconic locations, beloved traditions and the passion that surrounds one of the NFL’s most storied franchises,” according to the Hallmark Channel.
Multiple areas both above and below Michigan Avenue are designated as film locations blocked off by “NO PARKING/TOW ZONE” warnings, including parts of North Water Street, Lower Water Street, Illinois Street, and Lower St. Clair Street According to a notice around the trailers, filming started in the area on Wednesday and is set to go through Friday night.
Those areas appeared to be quiet from filming Thursday morning, however. Apparent wardrobe pieces for the film — some decked out in the Bears’ colors of orange, navy, and white — could be seen inside one trailer, including jackets and shirts hung on racks. Other crew members arrived with more costumes in garment bags as the morning progressed.
A Chicago Bears jacket and clothing inside a building near the set of a Bears-themed Hallmark holiday movie on July 9, 2026. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
Other movie hints also popped up around Cityfront Plaza and the Tribune Tower, where “holding area,” “set,” “breakfast,” and “lunch” signs were accompanied by arrows pointing people in different directions. Mannequins dressed in Bears memorabilia and merchandise could be seen through the windows on the bottom floor of 401 N. Michigan Ave., where crew and production members appeared to mingle, some arriving with suitcases.
The Tribune reached out for more information on filming details but did not immediately get a response. The Hallmark Channel announced part of the film’s cast in an “on set” video posted on its social media account Thursday afternoon, with the actors featured on the grass at Soldier Field with the Chicago skyline visible in some clips.
The post did not include any Bears team members, though the two previous “Holiday Touchdown” franchise films — which centered around the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills — featured cameos from people and players involved with the organizations, including Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Bills safety Damar Hamlin and former quarterback Jim Kelly.
A release date has not yet been announced for the film, but it is set to come out in 2026 as part of Hallmark Channel’s 17th annual “Countdown to Christmas” event.
Chicago Tribune’s Sean Hammond contributed to this report.