“The Chosen” — the streaming series about the life of Jesus Christ that has become a worldwide phenomenon — is returning for its third season.
And it will kick off in movie theaters next month.
A production of Angel Studios and helmed by filmmaker Dallas Jenkins, “The Chosen” depicts the life of Jesus as seen through the eyes of His followers. The first season began with the calling of the first disciples and the start of Jesus’s ministry.
Season two built upon that, leading up to the Sermon on the Mount. The last episode of the season ended with what many would consider a cliffhanger: the arrival of Judas Iscariot.
Premiering in 2019, “The Chosen” has broken multiple records. It is now ranked as the number one crowdsourced production in history, according to IBL News.
And the website God TV reported in May that episodes of the series have been watched more than 400 million times. That puts “The Chosen” easily in the territory of Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and “The Mandalorian” on Disney+.
The scope of “The Chosen” is staggering. A project intended to encompass seven seasons, it has relied almost entirely on donations for its funding.
By the time season two ended the third was well on its way to being fully backed. Season four’s crowdsourcing is now underway, with more than a quarter of its budget already committed to.
Yet despite its lack of major studio backing, “The Chosen” has production value that rivals the scope of any series on premium cable. The attention to detail in its depiction of first century Israel is nothing less than astounding.
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So too, is the casting of “The Chosen.” From Jonathan Roumie’s warm portrayal of Jesus on to His followers and those they encounter along the way, the series is a true ensemble replete with group dynamics and character development.
“The Chosen” has dramatized several elements, particularly about the lives of the disciples. When Simon is first introduced he is a punchy slick-talking fisherman trying to get out of hock with the Roman government. The tax collector Matthew is depicted as a savant bordering on autistic. The producers have taken what little is known for certain about the followers of Christ and extrapolated a model for how they may have been in real life. And in that regard, “The Chosen” serves as a visual aid
But the core message of “The Chosen” is nothing less than that which is found in scripture. And it is one that the producers have not compromised.
It is an approach that is brought into stark focus during the first season, when the Pharisee Nicodemus comes to see Jesus at night. The scene is the entirety of the third chapter of the Gospel of John brought to vivid life, as Jesus passionately tells the great teacher, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
In keeping with the revolutionary nature of “The Chosen’s” production, its distribution has been just as groundbreaking. The producers chose VidAngel to stream the series for free, which can be watched on the official “The Chosen” website, on mobile devices or cast to television. In addition, the first two seasons are available on DVD and Blu-ray.
Season two was followed by a theatrical Christmas special during the 2021 holiday season. “Christmas with The Chosen” shattered expectations at the box office, earning $13.5 million. It was the biggest event in the history of Fathom Events, which distributed the special.
Fathom Events is now selling tickets online for the premiere of “The Chosen” season three. The first two episodes will be screened together beginning on Nov. 18. “The Chosen” will be showing in theaters in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Angel Studios has released a trailer for the third season of “The Chosen.”
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It already seems as if season three will follow the pattern of the first two in treating the words of Christ with reverence and respect.
