LIonsgate said it acquired worldwide distribution rights to all seasons of the event series The Chosen, which looks at the life of Jesus through the eyes of his followers.
The series began as a crowdsourcing project and has now been seen by over 110 million views in 175 countries.
Three seasons have been produced. In the U.S., Season1 and 2 are available on Peacock and Amazon Prime Video. Season 1 is also on Netflix.
A fourth season, from creator and director Dallas Jenkins and starring Jonathan Roumie, is currently in production.
“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,” said Lionsgate President of Worldwide Television Distribution Jim Packer. “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.”
The Come and See Foundation will retain and manage licensing rights for all activities within the non-profit sector. Their work to translate the series into hundreds of languages is making it possible for The Chosen to be globally accessible.
Internationally, the series has been distributed on Canal Plus in France, NPO in the Netherlands, MovieStar in Spain and TVP in Poland.
“Lionsgate is perfect for us,” said 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.”
Jenkins has spent over two decades in the film industry including theatrical releases, such as Lionsgate’s Midnight Clear. His short film The Shepherd, shot on a farm in Illinois showing the birth of Jesus through the eyes of a shepherd with a disability s went viral globally with tens of millions of views, leading to The Chosen.
