SALT LAKE CITY — BYUtv has acquired the broadcast and video-on-demand rights to seasons one and two of “The Chosen,” a popular series that recounts the life of Jesus Christ.
On Thursday, BYUtv announced it will air “The Chosen” on Sunday, Oct. 4. The first three episodes of season one will air together starting at 5:50 a.m. MT. The fourth episode will air at 1 p.m. MT, and episodes five through eight will air weekly on Sundays starting Oct. 11 at 4 p.m. MT.
All eight episodes will be available for free on the BYUtv app and website beginning Oct. 5.
“Presenting the first broadcast network showing of what could very easily be the most watched production ever on the life of Jesus Christ is a phenomenal opportunity and significant win for BYUtv,” Michael Dunn, managing director of BYUtv, said in a statement. “‘The Chosen’ has already been seen by nearly 50 million people in more than 180 countries, and the feedback from viewers has been overwhelmingly positive about the touching and realistic portrayal of well known biblical characters in a new light.” ‘
Directed and co-written by Dallas Jenkins, “The Chosen” used a low-budget pilot episode in 2017 to generate more than $10 million — one of the largest crowdfunded media projects ever, the Deseret News previously reported.
Jenkins said he wants “The Chosen” to stand out from past depictions of Christ. Told through the perspectives of those closest to Jesus, the series portrays the Savior as a compassionate man with a sense of humor, according to the Deseret News. The first season was released in 2019 and featured on VidAngel and other streaming platforms.
The second season has begun filming in Goshen, Utah, where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints built a replica Jerusalem movie set to film scenes from the Bible (2011) and the Book of Mormon (2017), according to the Deseret News.
Jenkins called it the “most extraordinary set,” the Deseret News reported. “We are going to be able to tell the stories of Jesus and his followers in a way that elevates even what we were able to do previously. The story deserves the best and this is the best. There is not another set like this in the entire world.”
In a statement sent out Thursday, Jenkins said he wanted “The Chosen” to reach as many homes as possible.
“When I first made a short Nativity film at my friend’s farm in Illinois, I had no idea it would lead to ‘The Chosen’ and its global response,” he said. “I’m grateful for BYUtv’s belief in the series and their desire to share the stories of the gospels with the world.”
In addition to “The Chosen,” other programs airing on BYUtv during general conference weekend include the premieres of two new Sunday shows — “Come Follow Up” and “Hello Sunday” — sneak peeks of upcoming seasons of “The Fixers” and “Random Acts,” and movies like “Hook,” “The Other Side of Heaven 2,” “Ever After” and “Cheaper by the Dozen.”
To view the full conference weekend schedule, visit byutv.org.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to “The Chosen” creator as Dallin Jenkins.