Hallmark’s Latest ‘Illinois’ Movie Was Shot Nowhere Near Illinois

A new Hallmark movie is airing this weekend, and I'm confused.

New Hallmark Movie “The Stars Between Us” Has an Illinois Connection

Not by the plot of The Stars Between Us because it seems like standard mellow dramatic flair that many of us love, but well, I'll just share the summary that's posted on IMDb:

Seven years ago, Kim made a connection with a stranger during an eclipse event. Now a fledgling news reporter, Kim returns to Illinois for this year's eclipse, unaware that their paths may cross again.

READ MORE: Galena: One of the Many Best Small Illinois Towns

Watch “The Stars Between Us” on Hallmark This Weekend

Nice, an Illinois connection in a Hallmark movie? Not so fast. Turns out, it's Illinois in name only. What I initially thought was a flick filmed in White Pines, Starved Rock, or somewhere else that would've been perfect for a "This qualifies as an Illinois setting" was all for naught.

READ MORE: Woodstock’s Cherry Tree Inn Featured in New Holiday Movie

Is “The Stars Between Us” Actually Filmed in Illinois?

Instead, if you read further on IMDb, you'll see that The Stars Between Us was actually shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The great Northwest doesn't exactly qualify as Illinois, and you know what, I don't really care about that part.

My real question is: why set the movie in Illinois but not film here?

If it were due to budget constraints, choosing the cheapest option would make sense, but setting the story in Vancouver would have been more straightforward.

Hallmark Movie Set in Illinois but Filmed in Vancouver

I know this happens often in TV and movies, but I still can't understand why production chooses settings that don't match the locations they film in. That's what leaves me confused.

Why Do TV Shows and Movies Use Locations That Don’t Match the Setting?

So tune in for The Stars Between Us on Hallmark Saturday night, and remember, sometimes Hollywood magic is only Illinois deep.