Daniel Lissing has indicated that a return to the Hallmark Channel series When Calls the Heart is improbable, though he remains open to the possibility of his character, Jack Thornton, surviving his on-screen death. During a panel discussion moderated by Just Jared aboard the Hallmark Christmas Cruise last week, Lissing addressed fan curiosity regarding potential appearances in flashbacks or dream sequences.
Jack Thornton was written out of the show in the season five finale after dying in a landslide while rescuing two other men. Lissing departed the series by his own choice, and the showrunners decided against recasting the role, opting instead to conclude the character's arc with the death scene. However, when asked about returning, Lissing offered an alternative theory rather than confirming a standard cameo.
Lissing noted that because Jack's body was never found, it is possible he survived with amnesia. He humorously described a scenario where the character might be wandering around as a carpenter with a sore knee, unable to recognize former colleagues who ask if he is Jack. While acknowledging his long and pleasant relationship with Hallmark, Lissing stated that everyone seems to have moved on from the character.
The audience reacted vocally to the idea of Jack being alive, shouting "NO!" in response to the theory. Co-star Heather Hemmens, seated next to Lissing during the panel, jokingly remarked that the people had spoken. Despite the fan reaction and Lissing's own skepticism about a return, he maintained that one can never know for sure given the unresolved nature of the character's fate.
Sources: Just Jared.