“The Chosen” Comes to SA Cinemas

The popular series The Chosen, subject of The Southern Cross’ cover story in March, is coming to the big screen in South Africa this week.

The first two episodes of Season 4 of the series about Jesus and his followers will open in NuMetro cinemas on Thursday, March 28 (https://numetro.co.za/movie/6504/).

According to Ryan Waters, marketing manager of distributors Gravel Road Africa, the other four episodes might be released on the cinema circuit in two further screenings if the current release proves popular.

The first three seasons of The Chosen, an independently produced series, were streamed on the Internet and via an app (https://watch.thechosen.tv/). Season 4 was ready for release until it was delayed by a legal dispute. At present, it is not known when the new season will be streamed.

In an innovation for a TV series, Season 4 of The Chosen was screened in cinemas in the US, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Poland and other countries in February, parcelled into three separate releases.

Speaking on the shows’ YouTube channel, The Chosen’s executive producer Dallas Jenkins said that the experiment was successful, and raised much-needed funds for the production of future seasons. Seven seasons are planned in the series.

Season 4 picks up the story with the execution of John the Baptiser and Jesus revelation of his divinity at Caesarea Philippi. Amid the dramatic tension that is building, the show retains human touches, such as a reconciliation between Peter and Matthew, and gentle humour, much of it surrounding Simon’s renaming to Peter by Jesus. Episode 2 also sees the introduction of the high priest Caiaphas.

Jesus is played by Jonathan Roumie, a devout Catholic. He is featured in the April issue of The Southern Cross.

See the trailer for Season 4