Lionsgate has taken worldwide distribution rights to The Chosen, the hit Jesus of Nazareth drama widely regarded as the most successful crowdfunded TV series of all time.
Lionsgate will shop all three seasons of Dallas Jenkins’ hit globally, having already had more than 110 million viewers in 175 countries and with plans to make it available in 600 languages, according to the studio.
The historical drama tells the story of Jesus through the eyes of those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Jewish oppression in first-century Israel, it shares an authentic and intimate look at Jesus’ revolutionary life and teachings.
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The Chosen started out as a crowdfunded project as Jenkins’ desired to create a bingeable series about Jesus, and has since amassed a huge following, roundly considered to be the most successful crowdfunded TV series of all time. Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Peacock and Amazon Prime Video and the first season is also on Netflix, while it has aired on local platforms across Europe. A fourth season, from creator and director Jenkins and continuing to star Jonathan Roumie as Jesus, is currently in production, while there are plans to build out an entertainment “universe,” Deadline revealed in March, with former DreamWorks exec Mark Sourian recently appointed President of Production.
Jenkins said Lionsgate is “perfect” for the show. “They’re strong and experienced in the areas we’re not, but they also understand what’s unique about us and will protect that,” he added. “We’ll continue to do what we do best unabated, and they’ll expand our efforts with their tremendous distribution team.”
Lionsgate President of Worldwide Television Distribution Jim Packer added: “The more I learned about The Chosen, the more I wanted to ensure that it is on the best platforms across the globe. It’s no surprise that an artfully crafted story about such an important historical figure, unlike anything done before, would be in great demand.”
The deal was negotiated for Lionsgate by Christopher Davis and Daniel Taylor. Jenkins and Roumie are represented by UTA.
The Come and See Foundation continues to retain and manage licensing rights for all The Chosen’s activities within the non-profit sector, including translation.
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