"The Chosen" Series
“The Chosen,” a television series about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ with his disciples, has intrigued millions of viewers across the globe, beyond its evangelical Christian roots. It is created, directed, and co-written by Dallas Jenkins. Consultants from other faith traditions are involved with the show.
The multi-season series is crafted to focus on the people who encounter Jesus. Jenkins wanted to present Jesus in a way that was more “personal, intimate, [and] immediate.”[1]
Angel Studios (then VidAngel) streaming service was the first to see Jenkins’ project “The Shepherd” and suggested a series pilot be placed on Facebook to gauge interest. The short film received more than 15 million views around the world. From there, the production turned to crowdfunding that offered shares of ownership and profits for the first season. Subsequent seasons have been produced through traditional crowdfunding, licensing, video and merchandise sales, and limited premier runs in movie theaters.
The show’s production continues to grow and streaming services expand. BYUtv was granted streaming rights in late 2020, but more platforms now carry the series, such as Amazon Prime Video, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Peacock, UPtv, and CW. Season 4 of the series is to premiere in theaters.
The first season of The Chosen was filmed near Pooleville and Weatherford, Texas. Season 2 was filmed in the Goshen Movie Set in Utah County, Utah,[2] owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Seasons 3 and 4 were filmed in both Utah and a set in Midlothian, Texas.
Jenkins has said that the series will have seven seasons. He also has other New Testament story lines to tell.
A first-ever academic conference about “The Chosen” was held at Brigham Young University on March 14–15, 2024, and featured presentations from scholars of different faiths, including nondenominational Christians, Catholics, and Latter-day Saints. The aim of the conference was to continue thinking about the show in new, expansive ways.
