Exclusive Interview: John Christian Plummer On Hallmark’s ‘Mystery Island: Winner Takes All’
Hallmark Mystery is premiering Mystery Island: Winner Takes All on Thursday, March 13. This is the sequel to the hit mystery that stars Elizabeth Henstridge and Charlie Weber. Screenwriter John Christian Plummer, who created this hit series, as well as Hallmark Mystery’s number one series, Mystery 101, graciously answered a cornucopia of questions in this TV Shows Ace Exclusive Interview about this upcoming mystery.
Thank you to John for taking the time out to answer our questions. Sleuthers are very excited that this series is back. Let the games begin!
What is Mystery Island: Winner Takes All About?
What is Mystery Island: Winner Takes All about?
The original Mystery island film was a big hit, so pretty quickly the folks at Hallmark asked me to start thinking of new stories we could set on the island. The first one featured all the original investors in the island – wealthy people – and for this one, we’re featuring more regular folks by having the guests be winners of an online puzzle contest which Mystery Island sponsored. There’s still a murder game to play, but things go awry when a member of the staff is killed.
John Christian Plummer On Who Is Returning To Hallmark’s Mystery Island: Winner Takes All
Who is returning to this second movie?
Our core trio of Emilia, Jason, and Janey are back. Janey’s now in an executive position with Mystery Island, and Emilia and Jason, as established at the end of the original film, were hired by Carlos, as the writers of the whodunnit games the guests play on the island. Carlos is also back, as is Fredericks, the butler.
When Does Mystery Island: Winner Takes All Take Place?
Is there a time jump from the first movie?
Yes, the film begins many months after the first one ended, and then there’s a time jump after the title card as well (as there was in the original film).
Credit: ©2025 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Alberto Rodriguez
John Christian Plummer Shares What Sleuthers Will Especially Enjoy In Mystery Island: Winner Takes All
Do you have anything you want to share to viewers about this movie?
In addition to the puzzle-solving, I think people are going to really enjoy the romance. As for fans of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered franchise, you”ll get to see Kristin Booth crushing it in a very different role.
John Christian Plummer On Any Possible Novel Companion To New Hallmark Mystery
Often you like to share a novel that may be sort of a companion to this movie?
Yeah, I can’t do that without spoiling too much of the story. But definitely know there are literary references in this one, and audience members who know them may have an advantage in solving the mystery.
How Many More Mystery Island Movies Made?
Will there be more Mystery Island movies?
I can’t give specifics, but I can say this won’t be our last visit to Mystery Island.
John Christian Plummer On New Hallmark Projects As Well As Netflix!
Are you working on anything new for Hallmark now?
Hopefully soon. I’ve also been busy with a series in development with Netflix, and adapting Agatha Christie’s first six Miss Marple stories into a new stage play.
John Christian Plummer’s Recommendations in Books And Movies For Sleuthers
What are you reading or watching now that may be of interest to Sleuthers?
The best show on television is The Pitt, which isn’t a mystery, just a brilliant series about extraordinary humans who choose to be first-responders, working in a busy emergency room in Pittsburgh. I cannot say enough good things about this show, on Max.
But as far as mystery stuff, I would strongly recommend Severance on Apple TV+, which is more of a mystery box show than a traditional whodunnit. I’m looking forward to Down Cemetery Road, also on Apple TV+, which is a detective story, adapted by Morwenna Banks from the Mick Herron novel (also looking forward to the return of Herron’s Slow Horses series, which is a spy show with lots of mystery). Herron’s my favorite working novelist, and I hope everyone reading this will read one of his books.
I’ve been reading Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie novels — she’s been writing them for years, so I’m late to the party — which are not just excellent whodunnits, they are probing character studies written in stunningly deft prose. The book I’m tearing through now is Benjamin Stevenson’s Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, which is a super-fun, very meta mystery set in Australia. I just gifted my dad Walter Mosley’s newest mystery, Been Wrong So Long It Feels Like Right, which I’ll be borrowing from him when he’s done with it. Since last we spoke, I’ve read several mysteries including Rupert Holmes’ Murder Your Employer, Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seicho Matsumoto, Friday the Rabbi Slept Late by Harry Kemmelman (first in a series), re-read Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes, Be Cool and The Hot Kid by Elmore Leonard, The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji.
My wife and I have gotten into a great groove watching Nordic noir shows on Netflix and PBS: The Åre Murders, Entrapped, Murder in Sweden, Deadwind andThe Chestnut Man. There are more in the queue!
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Mystery Island: Winner Takes All premieres on Thursday, March 13, at 8 p.m., Eastern, on Hallmark Mystery. This mystery will be available to stream on Peacock up to 72 hours after the premiere. Lastly, this new Mystery Island movie will be available on Hallmark+ starting on Friday, March 14.
Thank you again John Christian Plummer for taking the time to answer our questions. We look forward to more mysteries soon!
Sleuthers, are you ready for another mystery in John Christian Plummer’s series?
