The Chosen

The Chosen is an American Christian historical drama television series. Created, directed, and co-written by filmmaker Dallas Jenkins, it is the first multi-season series about the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. Primarily set in Judaea and Galilee in the 1st century, the series centers on Jesus and the different people who met and followed or otherwise interacted with him. The series stars Jonathan Roumie as Jesus, alongside Shahar Isaac, Elizabeth Tabish, Paras Patel, Noah James, and George H. Xanthis. After Jenkins noted there had never been a multi-season, episode-based portrayal of Jesus that could be "binge-watched" like shows on streaming mediums such as Netflix, he set out to create the series in partnership with Angel Studios, formerly VidAngel. With the intention of differing from previous portrayals of Jesus, he crafted a story arc which focused more on the people who encountered Jesus and viewed him through their eyes. He has stated in interviews that he sought to present Jesus in a way that was more "personal, intimate, [and] immediate". The show's producers have used innovative methods for finance and release, primarily through crowdfunding on the Angel Studios platform. Fundraising for the first season as well as subsequent ones continues to make The Chosen the most successful crowdfunded TV series or film project. As of 2021, viewers had contributed $40 million towards its production. In late 2022, the creators partnered with a new nonprofit company, the Come and See Foundation, to manage funding, which allows contributors to receive a tax deduction for their contribution. In addition to crowdfunding and the pay-it-forward model, revenue is also generated through several other methods. The show is licensed to other streaming platforms and TV networks, such as Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, and Netflix. Merchandise and video sales provide additional sources of revenue, as have limited premiere runs in cinemas. The show has been further adapted into a series of novels by Jenkins's father, author Jerry B. Jenkins, a series of graphic novels by Corvus Comics, and companion Bible study materials published by David C. Cook.