Season Four of ‘The Chosen’ gets ‘closer to what we all know is coming,’ creator says

Left to right: Simon Zee (Alaa Safi), Jesus (Jonathan Roumie), and Simon Peter (Shahar Isaac) in Season Four of "The Chosen," releasing exclusively in theaters starting Feb. 1, 2024. / Credit: The Chosen/Mike Kubeisy

CNA Staff, Jan 30, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Season Four of the hit series “The Chosen” hits theaters on Feb. 1. For the first time, the full season will be shown exclusively in theaters before its release on streaming services.

The rollout of Season Four in theaters will begin with a two-week run of Episodes 1–3 on Feb. 1. Episodes 4–6 will follow beginning Feb. 15, and Episodes 7–8 beginning Feb. 29. The season will be distributed by Fathom Events in the U.S. and Canada. 

After the full-season run in theaters concludes, it will debut across streaming platforms, including on “The Chosen” app as well as broadcast and cable TV.

Dallas Jenkins, creator, director, and co-writer of “The Chosen,” spoke with CNA about what fans can expect from this upcoming season.

The theme for Season Three was “Come to me all of you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” However, for this season, Jenkins explained that “Jesus is a little weary and heavy laden and Jesus needs rest, and he’s not getting it from the people around him, including his closest friends.”

“He knows what’s coming but they don’t, and even when he tries to tell them they don’t quite get it,” he added. “They don’t get the meaning of it. They all remain focused on either their personal positions within the group or the earthly kingdom that they think he’s there to create or to bring about by fighting a war, and that breaks his heart.”

“I think Jesus is feeling more and more alone this season than he has before.”

Jesus (Jonathan Roumie) leads his disciples in Season Four of "The Chosen," releasing exclusively in theaters starting Feb. 1, 2024. Credit: The Chosen/Mike Kubeisy

Despite the increasing heaviness of the content in the newest part of the series, Jenkins assured fans that there will still be moments of community, faith, miracles, laughter, and friendship. 

Without giving away any spoilers, the director shared that Episode 7 of the new season is a favorite of his and includes a scene with Mary Magdalene that will “wreck people, but in a good way.”

He also discussed a scene that is teased in the trailer where a group of Roman soldiers carrying heavy packs encounter Jesus and the disciples. 

“This is a scene that I’m sure will impact people because it lives out the teaching that Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount — ‘If someone asked you to go one mile, go with him two [Matthew 5:41],’” Jenkins explained.  

He added: “We often don’t know what the context of that was. In fact, if we only read it in the Bible we wouldn’t know exactly what he was referring to, but there is historical precedent for the fact that there were times when the Romans could put their heavy packs onto the Jews, expect them to carry it for one mile but no further. We show what that might look like in this season. I think viewers are going to really resonate with it.”

Jenkins shared that the decision to show the season in its entirety in theaters was because “this season demands it.”

“I mean Season Four is on a bigger scale. The themes are deeper. The stories are bigger. The backdrop is bigger,” he said. “We’re getting closer and closer to Jerusalem and to what we all know is coming.”

“Also, we think people should gather. I think people should get together during a time that’s very divisive. If for no other reason then I think you’re gonna need to give each other handkerchiefs and Kleenex because it’s a heavy season.”

When asked what message he would give the fans ahead of Season Four, Jenkins said: “I would say to make sure that you today are not missing the lessons that Jesus’ friends and followers missed.”

He added: “As we got closer to the Crucifixion in the Gospels, Jesus was actually telling them explicitly what was going to happen. He said, ‘I’m going to suffer.’ He said, ‘I’m going to die.’ And they said, ‘Okay, I hear you, but hey, who’s No. 1 in our group? And can I be on your right and left hand in the kingdom in the future?’ And it broke his heart.” 

Jenkins explained that it can be easy for us to look back in hindsight and “say, ‘Man, we can’t believe that they missed it. It was so obvious.’”

“I pray that today we are not missing what they missed,” he said. “That we are — especially because we have this hindsight — able to say our focus needs to be about the Gospel. It needs to not be about position. It needs to not be about fame or glory or winning a battle, but it’s about learning the lessons that Jesus taught and focusing on him exclusively.”