ChosenCon 2024: Dallas Jenkins announces 5 new projects in 'The Chosen' universe
ORLANDO, Florida — Dallas Jenkins, creator of "The Chosen," announced the launch of 5&2 Studios and a slew of new projects, including a children's animated series, an unscripted show with Bear Grylls, a series based on the book of Acts and a multi-season retelling of the story of Moses.
Speaking to more than 5,000 fans gathered at ChosenCon, a fan event in Orlando, Florida, featuring cast members and producers of the series, Jenkins revealed five new projects under the umbrella of 5&2 Studios.
These include a series based on the Acts of the Apostles, a three-season series about Moses, a limited series about the life of Joseph, "The Chosen Adventures," and "The Chosen In the Wild with Bear Grylls."
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"I'm very excited to bring our 'Chosen way' to more great stories from the Bible, and it's awesome that we get to first announce it to the fans who helped get us here long before we were popular," Jenkins told the crowd while flanked by his wife, Amanda.
'The Chosen Adventures'
The first new series under 5&2 Studios will be "The Chosen Adventures," a 14-episode animated show that offers a youthful take on the Jesus story, featuring voice actors such as Paul Walter Hauser, Jordin Sparks and Yvonne Orji. The series will follow 9-year-old Abby in the Galilean city of Capernaum, circa 30 CE.
"Inquisitive young Abby is bursting at the seams with questions. Insatiably curious and imaginative, Abby feels no one has the answers she's looking for. When she and her best friend, Joshua, meet Jesus, everything changes," reads the show description.
Jenkins told The Christian Post that the series is full of "whimsy, whit and biblical truths" that families can enjoy together.
"A children's show isn't intended to, nor is it ever going to, take you all the way into the depth of the Jesus story that you're going to get as you get a little bit older," he said. "You hear the story overall, but because you're not an adult, you can't totally identify with the pain and suffering. This is still a show for kids; we're not getting in there and trying to scare them or anything like that. It's going to be covering biblical truths, but it's designed to ease them into some of these stories. It's going to engage them with Scripture, and then hopefully that's going to supplement the mothership show as well."
Vanessa Benavente, who plays Mother Mary in "The Chosen," told CP the show will be "uplifting and inspiring for children."
"This all started in season one with the episode with Jesus and the children, which is probably one of my favorites," she said. "I feel like that is the type of thing that I would love my children to be watching; inspiring, uplifting."
'The Chosen in the Wild'
Another project, "The Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls," will be a six-episode adventure series in which various cast members of "The Chosen" will join Grylls for outdoor challenges.
Grylls, a former British Special Forces member, described the upcoming series as a "beautiful collaboration with a really powerful brand of people doing something incredible in the world."
"'Chosen in the Wild' is me taking some of the most loved actors of 'The Chosen' into the great outdoors, having an adventure with them, getting to know their story along the way," he told reporters. "I think you will be really surprised by the personal journeys of faith that the actors have been on just through this experience of acting it out. I haven't met any of them to whom it's just a job. … These guys really had really moving, powerful stories."
'Moses' series, a limited series featuring the life of Joseph and the 'Acts of the Apostles'
After "The Chosen" concludes, Jenkins announced he plans to direct a three-season series on the life of Moses.
"The cool thing about this story is it is also not only a story that people all over the world know and appreciate and love, regardless of whether they are followers of Jesus, but Moses is the forebearer to Jesus," Jenkins told the audience of the upcoming series.
"Moses turned the water to blood. Jesus turned the water to wine. Moses split the Red Sea. Jesus walked on the water. Moses put the serpent on the pole, and people looked at it to be healed. Jesus gets up on the pole so that people look at Him and be healed from their diseases."
Looking ahead, Jenkins said he is also interested in pursuing a shorter series after the seven-season commitment to "The Chosen." In development are a series based on the Acts of the Apostles and a limited series about Joseph.
The future of 'The Chosen'
Earlier this year, Jenkins gained full oversight of "The Chosen" after an arbitrator ended the partnership between his company, The Chosen LLC, and Angel Studios.
Season five of "The Chosen" just wrapped and will focus on the week leading to Christ's death; season six of "The Chosen" will focus on the crucifixion, while season seven will cover the resurrection. Both seasons will feature eight episodes, culminating in global theatrical releases of extended episodes on these events.
Jenkins told reporters that the fifth season of the series will explore Jesus' thoughts and the disciples' confusion as they approach the cross.
"Season five covers the most important, influential week in the history of the world, Holy Week," he said. "We start to get in Jesus's head a little bit. We start to see what He's thinking and feeling as He approaches the cross. We start to really lean into the fact that the disciples are confused. Why is Jesus dividing people here? We have a chance of Holy Week; a million Jews are all gathered together. Why aren't we unified so that we can beat the Romans? Jesus is doing the opposite."
Jenkins emphasized that, despite discussions with streaming platforms, "The Chosen" will remain free to audiences, especially in underserved regions, though other projects might adopt different distribution models. He also cautioned against comparing 5&2 Studios to large creative universes like Marvel or Star Wars, noting that his focus is on telling stories that prioritize human connection and authenticity.
"From the beginning. I just thought, 'I'm following, I'm just trying to listen,'" he told reporters when asked about the success of "The Chosen." "It doesn't surprise me that the show is successful, because God can do anything. It wouldn't surprise me if the show didn't do anything, because I don't think about the results. So now that I see it, I don't take it for granted, I appreciate it, it never stops meaning something to me … but the impact matters most."
In addition to his studio ventures, Jenkins is behind the upcoming Lionsgate film, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," based on Barbara Robinson's book. The movie, starring Judy Greer and Pete Holmes, is set for release on Nov. 8.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
