‘Jesus Revolution’ Distributor Lionsgate Acquires Worldwide Distribution Rights to ‘The Chosen’
Lionsgate has acquired worldwide distribution rights to “The Chosen,” the hit series based on the life of Jesus. The film studio, which has distributed movies such as “Knives Out,” “La La Land,” and the “John Wick” franchise, has made a sub-licensing deal with Angel Studios.
Screenshot from YouTube / @TheChosenSeries
“Lionsgate is perfect for us,” said “The Chosen” creator Dallas Jenkins. “They’re strong and experienced in the areas we’re not, but they also understand what’s unique about us and will protect that. We’ll continue to do what we do best unabated, and they’ll expand our efforts with their tremendous distribution team.”
‘The Chosen’ Partners With Lionsgate
“The Chosen,” which launched in 2019, bills itself as the “first-ever multi-season series about the life of Christ.” It is crowdfunded and free for viewers to stream through The Chosen app. Episodes 1 and 2 of Season 3 were released in theaters on Nov. 18 to great success, grossing over $8 million over the weekend and ranking third in total weekend sales.
“The more I learned about ‘The Chosen,’ the more I wanted to ensure that it is on the best platforms across the globe,” said Lionsgate President of Worldwide Television Distribution Jim Packer.“
It’s no surprise that an artfully crafted story about such an important historical figure, unlike anything done before, would be in great demand,” Packer continued. “The multi-season approach has allowed ‘The Chosen’ to consistently build its audience and generate a unique level of engagement. We’re excited by the opportunity to elevate this incredible property to the next level of worldwide recognition and popularity.”
According to Deadline, “After any theatrical release, the Angel Studios app and ‘The Chosen’ app still have global exclusive rights in the first window for all existing and future seasons.” Moreover, “Angel Studios has perpetual rights and exclusive perpetual rights to NFTs.”
The Come and See Foundation, which announced a new partnership with “The Chosen” in December, will “retain and manage licensing rights for all The Chosen’s activities within the non-profit sector, including translation.”
As it has risen in popularity, “The Chosen” has been the subject of both controversy and acclaim. “Taxi Driver” screenwriter Paul Schrader has praised “The Chosen” as “the exception” among often lackluster faith-based films. Numerous fans have expressed appreciation for the show’s artistry and how it has helped them to understand Jesus better.
In October 2022, the series came under fire for what some believed to be a reference to the Book of Mormon. Jenkins later clarified that he “didn’t pull this quote from anywhere else. I just think it’s a theologically plausible line and it’s, I believe, a cool Jesus as king moment.”
In an interview on “The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast,” Jenkins emphasized that his priority is to be faithful to Scripture and that “The Chosen” is not a substitute for God’s Word. “I come from a conservative, Bible-believing background,” he said. “I’m a strong evangelical who believes that the Bible is God’s Word. So we start with that as our primary source of truth and inspiration, and we don’t change it.”
Yet at the same time, Jenkins explained, “As long as we know what Scripture is and what it isn’t, I think that we’re free to imagine and to think about these people because they were people, human beings, just like we are.”
This article was originally published at ChurchLeaders.com.
