Reba McEntire’s Lifetime Movie Is Coming Soon — Everything to Know About ‘The Hammer’

Reba McEntire has a brand new Lifetime movie coming very soon, and we have the details on everything you need to know about it. The new made-for-TV film is titled The Hammer and, in it, the country music icon plays Kim Wheeler “an outspoken, firecracker lawyer who is appointed Judge of the 5th District of Nevada” Wheeler is also “one of the few traveling judges left in America.” 

A synopsis of the film, from Lifetime, explains: “After the reigning judge passes away under suspicious circumstances, Kim finds herself covering a circuit that stretches between Las Vegas and Reno – a rugged, often desolate area where anything and everything can happen. With gavel in hand, she lays down the law with a no-nonsense brand of justice, that quickly earns her the nickname ‘The Hammer.’ As the investigation of the former judge’s death heats up, Kim’s sister Kris (Melissa Peterman), who runs the local brothel, suddenly becomes the prime suspect, and Kim must work even harder to make certain the appropriate justice is served.” The Hammer premieres Saturday, Jan. 7, at 8 p.m. ET, on Lifetime.

Notably, the country music icon’s boyfriend Rex Linn stars with her in the film, Linn is a longtime actor who’s appeared in movies such as Rush Hour and Cheaper by the Dozen, and also currently stars alongside McEntire on ABC’s Big Sky. He recently gushed over what it’s like to work alongside her on-screen. “She doesn’t stop moving,” he told TV Line in a recent interview.

“I’m telling you, man, she’s like a great white shark. Can’t stop or they’ll die in the water. [Laughs] At least that’s what the scientists tell us,” he added. Linn, continued, “Every scene was fun for me because I was working with her, and I mean that. We’ll wink at each other in the middle of a scene.” The longtime actor also praised how “brilliant” McEntire is with her lines, saying she “can look at a page of dialogue for five minutes and she’s ready to go.”

Previously, Big Sky showrunner Elwood Reid spoke to EW about how McEntire’s part as backcountry outfitter head-honcho Sunny Barnes came about, revealing that it was actually Linn who convinced her to take the part. “I called her and pitched her the character,” Reid said. “We all have this image of Reba McEntire as being America’s sweetheart, country music star. I was very nervous about pitching her this character that goes into some dark places.” 

Reid then shared how McEntire’s boyfriend, who is also an actor, urged her to take the role. “I was pitching her,” he said, “and I heard this voice in the background, ‘Yes, hell yes, you’re doing this,’ and I saw Rex Linn, who’s also her boyfriend. He said, ‘I’ve been telling her she needs to do this for 10 years.’ And then Reba stopped and said, ‘Will you hire my boyfriend Rex?’ I know Rex from Better Call Saul and lots of stuff that he’s worked on. And I was like, ‘Well, alright, that’s two for one.’”