Jacob Fuller, FISM News
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The first two episodes of Season 3 of “The Chosen” will launch in more than 2,000 movie theaters across the United States and its English-speaking territories on Nov. 18.
The crowd-funded, streaming television drama based on the life of Jesus and his disciples has become a worldwide phenomenon, with more than 420 million episode views around the globe since the 2019 launch of Season 1. Along with the theatrical premiere, Season 3 will also join the first two seasons on streaming services, including for free on the Angel Studio mobile and smart TV apps, as well as the website.
Creator Dallas Jenkins said this season marks a new era for the characters.
“The theme of Season 3 is ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest,’” Jenkins said in a press release. “The honeymoon phase is over, now the characters all have to deal with the costs and occasional confusions of following the Messiah.”
The official trailer for Season 3 was released on Oct. 17 and spent two days as the No. 1 trending item on Youtube.
“The Chosen” creators claim it is the largest entertainment project ever that is completely funded by fan support. Jenkins and other creators secured $10 million for the first season through crowdfunding. They have since raised more than $40 million for Seasons 2 and 3 through the “pay-it-forward” model, which allows viewers and supporters to donate any amount they wish to help the show continue production.
Along with donations, the show also raises production funds through sales of merchandise that includes shirts, hats, DVDs, and Blu-rays of the show, coffee mugs, and Bible study books for both adults and children inspired by the stories in the episodes.
Jenkins has announced that he plans to make seven seasons of the show. On top of the entire cost of making the show, the production costs also include translating the show into other languages. So far, the show is available in 62 different languages.
The series focuses largely on the lives of Jesus’s apostles. Episodes often present fictionalized, but historically accurate, portrayals of events surrounding Jesus’s ministry and the backstories of his followers in order to give depth and relatable humanity to Jesus’s closest disciples, something not provided in the limited accounts of their lives and actions in the Gospels.
Nothing about the show is meant to add to or take away from Scripture, however. Jenkins said he strives to portray the truth of Scripture and the life of Jesus in the series.
“It’s my job, both as a believer and as the creator of a show that is being seen by so many, to try to get that right, to try to portray Jesus accurately. Particularly also in our Bible studies and our devotional books, and our kids’ books. We have tons of material that we’re putting out; it’s very important to get that right,” Jenkins said.
A message at the beginning of the first episode of Season 1 clarifies the show’s and the creators’ place in regard to Scripture:
The Chosen is based on the true stories of the gospels of Jesus Christ. Some locations and timelines have been combined or condensed. Backstories and some characters or dialogue have been added. However, all biblical and historical context and any artistic imagination are designed to support the truth and intention of the Scriptures. Viewers are encouraged to read the gospels.
The show’s reception has been almost unfathomably positive. On the film critic site Rotten Tomatoes, the series has a 100% positive critic rating and a 97% positive audience score.
Fathom Events is distributing the first two-episode-combo to theaters, where it will show at least 10 times per theater over five days, with the possibility of extended runs in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.