After several successes in theaters, The Chosen is preparing to release Season 4 entirely on the silver screen. The announcement came with the release of the trailer for the new season, which marks the halfway point in what is planned to be a 7-season run. Tickets are already on sale at select theaters for the season’s premiere on February 1, 2024.
The hit show on the life of Christ, The Chosen, released the trailer for the new season on December 18 and garnered more than half a million views in its first day. The montage of preview scenes promised a more intense season, which showrunner Dallas Jenkins has called the most “emotionally challenging” season yet. Some of the scenes of the upcoming season include the execution of St. John the Baptist, Jesus’ resurrection of Lazarus, and some serious plotting from the Pharisees.
From the trailer alone it is clear that The Chosen will continue to depict a faithful account of the biblical narratives, presented with high quality cinematography, set, and costume design, and acting performances. Even in the brief clips of the trailer, the emotion these actors convey with even subtle looks is eye catching and the shot of Jesus (Jonathan Roumie) breaking down at the news of John the Baptist’s death had us in goosebumps.
According to Deseret News, the theme of Season 4 is “Jesus is weary and heavy-laden, and He needs rest.” Jenkins explained that the first three seasons saw Jesus erupt in popularity, but Season 4 will see public support begin to shift, starting Jesus on the path to his ultimate sacrifice, the crucifixion, which Jenkins has previously stated will take place in Season 6:
“Season 4, I think, so far is going to be our most emotionally challenging season. There was the year of preparation, the year of population is happening and he’s increasing in popularity. Season 4 is where it starts to turn,” Jenkins said previously.
While the trailer for the upcoming season is already building excitement, equally so is the unusual manner in which the season will be released. The Chosen has been so popular that it has been able to make several successful releases in theaters, with Christmas specials and the Season 3 premiere. This time, however, the entire season will be released in theaters, marking the first time a show that began on streaming services has transitioned to the movie theaters.
Episodes will be grouped together in order to pad out the time on all three theatrical releases. Episodes 1-3 will be in theaters on February 1; Episodes 4-6 will come two weeks later, on February 15; and the final episodes will be released on February 29 (2024 is a leap year). According to Christian Headlines, Jenkins explained the move to theaters:
“Last year, we dipped our toes in the water by releasing a few episodes in theaters. The response was so strong, and Season 4 is so big, that we knew Fathom ... and we had to give viewers the theatrical experience for all eight episodes,” said Jenkins, the series creator and director.
The release is limited and it is unclear if there will be any overlap on the releases or if episodes 1-3 will be pulled when 4-6 are released. Either way, the time The Chosen spends in theaters is not expected to be very long. Visit Fathom Events to secure your tickets today and make sure not to miss The Chosen on the big screen.
