History of The Chosen (TV series) in Timeline

The Chosen is a multi-season historical drama depicting the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth in 1st-century Judaea and Galilee. The series explores Jesus's life through the perspectives of those who knew him, including his apostles, Jewish leaders, Roman officials, and everyday people. Jonathan Roumie stars as Jesus, with a large ensemble cast portraying the diverse characters whose lives intersect with his. Created by Dallas Jenkins, the series aims for seven seasons, with four currently released.

2016: JOBS Act enables equity crowdfunding

In 2016, a provision in the JOBS Act allowed VidAngel, Dallas Jenkins, and Derral Eves to offer shares of ownership and profits from The Chosen's production through crowdfunding. This new method raised $11 million from over 16,000 investors.

2017: Release of "The Resurrection of Gavin Stone"

In 2017, Dallas Jenkins, through his production company Vertical Church Films, released the feature-length film "The Resurrection of Gavin Stone," which underperformed at the box office.

Loading Video...

2019: Season 1 release on VidAngel

In 2019, season 1 of The Chosen was initially released on the VidAngel platform, requiring a subscription to watch.

April 2020: Season 1 Made Freely Available

In March and April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Chosen made its first season freely available through The Chosen app, leading to a spike in viewership, and revenue actually increased.

July 1, 2020: Season 2 Fundraising Update

As of July 1, 2020, fundraising for season 2 of The Chosen had raised over $6 million from more than 300,000 contributors.

November 2020: Filming in Utah County

During October and November 2020, Season 2 of The Chosen moved filming to Utah County, Utah, to a replica Jerusalem movie set built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

January 21, 2021: Release of 'The Chosen' companion Bible studies

On January 21, 2021, Dallas Jenkins, Amanda Jenkins, and Douglas Huffman released companion Bible studies to complement 'The Chosen'. The first study, published by David C. Cook, included a book, digital resources, video clips, teacher guides, and promotional materials.

December 1, 2021: Release of 'Christmas with The Chosen: The Messengers'

On December 1, 2021, The Chosen producers partnered with Fathom Events for a Christmas special titled "Christmas with The Chosen: The Messengers," which opened in 1,700 theaters.

2021: Availability on Streaming Platforms and TV Networks

By early 2021, The Chosen became available for viewing on Amazon Prime Video, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Peacock, and UPtv.

2021: Season 2 Release on The Chosen and Angel Studios Apps

In 2021, Season 2 of The Chosen was first released on The Chosen app and the Angel Studios app and expanded to various other free and paid streaming platforms.

2021: Average Crowdfunding Contribution

Throughout 2021, the average contribution to The Chosen through crowdfunding efforts was $65.

2021: Availability on Peacock

Until it was added to Peacock in 2021, The Chosen was not available on any major cable network or streaming service, yet it was still able to achieve more than 312 million streaming views in that time.

April 2022: Filming of feeding the 5,000 scene

Beginning in April 2022, filming for season 3 included a four-day shoot for the scene of the feeding of the 5,000, using nearly 12,000 extras from 36 countries.

October 2022: Partnership with Come and See Foundation

In October 2022, The Chosen partnered with the Come and See Foundation, a new nonprofit organization created to manage the show's funding and allow contributors to receive tax deductions for their donations.

October 2022: Formation of the Come and See Foundation

In October 2022, the Come and See Foundation was formed as a nonprofit to help fund the translation and global distribution of The Chosen.

November 2022: Global Viewership Estimate

In November 2022, an independent consultant estimated that over 108 million people globally had watched at least part of one episode of The Chosen.

2022: Season 1 released on Netflix

In 2022, Season 1 of The Chosen was released on Netflix.

2022: Easter marketing campaign sparks controversy

In 2022, The Chosen's Easter marketing campaign involved defacing billboards to generate buzz, which led to confusion and concern among fans. Dallas Jenkins apologized in April for not disclosing the campaign beforehand.

2022: International Broadcast Expansion

In 2022, the first season of The Chosen was broadcast on Croatian Radio Television during the last week of Advent.

February 2, 2023: Finale of Season 3 Opens in Theaters

The finale of Season 3 of The Chosen opened in theaters on February 2, 2023.

March 2023: Season 4 Production Begins

In March 2023, production of season 4 of The Chosen began in Midlothian.

May 2023: Lionsgate Television Acquires Distribution Rights

In May 2023, Lionsgate Television acquired worldwide distribution rights to The Chosen under a sub-license agreement with Angel Studios.

June 2023: The CW acquires first three seasons

In June 2023, The CW acquired the first three seasons of The Chosen for linear broadcast in the United States.

July 14, 2023: Production halted due to SAG-AFTRA strike

On July 14, 2023, production of season 4 of The Chosen was halted at the beginning of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

July 16, 2023: Waiver Granted to Continue Filming

On July 16, 2023, The Chosen was granted a waiver to continue filming, agreeing to adhere retroactively to the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

December 12, 2023: Theatrical Release of 'Christmas with The Chosen: Holy Night'

On December 12, 2023, another theatrical Christmas special, "Christmas with The Chosen: Holy Night," opened in theaters. The film featured seven musical performances, including Andrea Bocelli and his son, Matteo Bocelli, singing "O Holy Night."

2023: Further International Expansion

As of 2023, The Chosen had also launched into the Netherlands on NPO, Spain on MovieStar, and Poland on TVP. In the summer of 2023, the show became the first television show to be translated into Malagasy.

2023: Mark Sourian Hired to Lead Entertainment Universe Development

In 2023, Mark Sourian, former DreamWorks executive, was hired to lead development of an entertainment universe based on the original series, including future films and shows.

January 2024: Viewer and Episode View Counts

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as of January 2024, The Chosen has had 200 million viewers and 770 million episode views.

January 2024: Series Dubbed in Nearly 50 Languages

As of January 2024, The Chosen has been dubbed in nearly 50 languages.

February 2024: Theatrical Release of Season 4 Episodes

During the first week of February 2024, the entirety of the fourth season of The Chosen began its release in domestic theaters, with episodes 1–3 playing for two weeks, episodes 4–6 for two weeks, and episodes 7–8 playing for one week.

March 2024: Delay in streaming release of Season 4

In March 2024, Dallas Jenkins announced a delay in the streaming release of season 4 due to legal reasons stemming from a dispute between The Chosen, LLC and Angel Studios, citing that production costs of the series were proving the previous crowdfunding method to be unsustainable.

April 11, 2024: Season 5 Filming Begins

On April 11, 2024, filming of season 5 of The Chosen began in Utah, with production set to complete at the show's Midlothian, Texas, facility.

June 2, 2024: Season 4 Streaming Release Date Announced

Following delays due to legal issues, Dallas Jenkins announced on YouTube that the first episode of Season 4 would be released on June 2, 2024, through The Chosen app, with two episodes per week to follow.

June 2024: The CW Picks Up Season Four

In June 2024, The CW picked up The Chosen for its fourth season.

February 2025: Amazon MGM Studios Deal for Season 5

In February 2025, Jenkins announced a deal with Amazon MGM Studios to distribute theatrical releases of season 5, branded "The Chosen: Last Supper," beginning in March 2025. As part of the deal, Amazon acquired exclusive rights to stream season 5 on Amazon Prime Video for 90 days, after which the show will be available for free.

March 2025: Theatrical Release of The Chosen: Last Supper

In March 2025, season 5 of The Chosen, branded "The Chosen: Last Supper", will be released theatrically due to a distribution deal with Amazon MGM Studios.

2025: Estimated Global Viewership

As of 2025, producers estimated The Chosen has been seen by 280 million people worldwide, with a third of the audience not religious.

2025: Amazon MGM Studios deal for Seasons 5-7

In 2025, Dallas Jenkins announced a deal with Amazon MGM Studios to premiere episodes of The Chosen Seasons 5, 6, and 7 in theaters, followed by an exclusive 90-day streaming window on Amazon Prime Video, before making them available for free.