Mario Lopez holiday movie filmed in Long Grove set to debut Dec. 7

Posted November 27, 2024 11:22 am

Daily Herald report

Mario Lopez portrays the mayor of fictional Long Grove — while filming in actual Long Grove — in the film “Once Upon a Christmas Wish.” The movie premieres Dec. 7 on the Great American Channel. Courtesy of Great American Channel

Get ready to see the suburbs’ favorite movie backdrop on screen again next week, when “Once Upon a Christmas Wish” starring Mario Lopez premieres next week on the Great American Family channel.

Filmed mostly in Long Grove, the movie will make its debut at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7.

In it, Lopez stars — alongside his wife, Courtney Lopez, and their son, Dominic — as the mayor of a small town also called Long Grove, who rediscovers his childhood Christmas wish list and sees it magically come true.

Mario Lopez and his real-life wife Courtney Lopez film in front of the historic Long Grove covered bridge for “Once Upon a Christmas Wish.” The movie debuts Dec. 7 on the Great American Channel. Courtesy of Great American Channel

The movie was filmed on location in late March and April, with scenes featuring Long Grove’s Sock Monkey Museum and local establishments like home decor and arts shop Vintage Charm Homestead.

It’s the second holiday movie filmed in Long Grove to debut in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Hulu premiered “Christmas on the Ranch,” a romcom that also was shot in Mundelein and Hawthorn Woods.

“Christmas on the Ranch” is the third holiday movie producers Chris Charles of Arlington Heights and John W. Bosher of Mundelein have filmed in and around Long Grove, following 2023’s “Reporting for Christmas” and 2021’s “Christmas with Felicity.”

Mario Lopez walks past the Long Grove bridge while filming “Once Upon a Christmas Wish” this spring. The movie premieres Dec. 7 on the Great American Channel. Courtesy of Great American Channel

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