When Calls the Heart is an original American-Canadian-Rome television film from the Hallmark Channel. It was written and directed by Michael Landon Jr. and starring Maggie Grace, Stephen Amell, Poppy Drayton and Daniel Sharman. It was initially developed as a pilot film based on Janette Oke's novel (1983). In March 2013, Hallmark announced that it approved a series of 10 episodes and also scheduled the film for October 5. With When Calls the Heart in production to debut in January 2014, the channel released that the film serves as its precursor. However, the change of cast, characters and events proved that this is not possible.