Creators behind the mega-successful biblical drama “The Chosen” have now laid the foundation for a universe of “Chosen”-like content.
For the first time since the biblical drama launched in late 2017, finding delayed but explosive success, the creators of the “The Chosen” will soon release a spinoff series — the animated children’s show “The Chosen Adventures.”
This is the first spinoff series in an extensive slate of biblical-based content already in the works, as previously announced by “The Chosen” creator Dallas Jenkins.
Jenkins selected “The Chosen Adventures” as the project to launch his “Chosen” universe, because it invites children to partake in biblical-based media.
“I think that even young kids deserve the opportunity to experience ‘The Chosen’ approach to biblical storytelling, which is that even though we are honoring the Bible, even though we are honoring the truths of scripture, it’s still human, it’s still fun. It’s got some whimsy to it,” Jenkins said.
The lighthearted animated series, which follows a 9-year-old girl through the ancient city Capernaum, expands on what fans have already seen in “The Chosen” through the fresh lens of a child.
“When you break it down, we want to create a universe,” said Derral Eves, an executive producer of both “The Chosen Adventures” and “The Chosen.”
Eves continued, “We get to start building upon things that already happened in ‘The Chosen’ ... and then we’re interweaving it through the eyes of the kids.”
Releasing a spinoff series was the natural progression to follow the success of “The Chosen,” but Eves recognizes that a love for “The Chosen” might not directly translate to a love for “The Chosen Adventures,” and vice versa.
Different mediums, such as animation or live-action, touch different viewers, he said, so the animated series might reach previously untouched audiences, particularly young ones.
Still, the creators behind “The Chosen Adventures” hope the series will offer an original perspective a range of audiences will enjoy.
“A good story is a good story,” Jenkins said. “Now, animation isn’t for everybody, and some people just would prefer their Bible stories to be a little bit more serious. We honor the character and intentions of Jesus in the gospels like we always do, but this is a fun way to experience it.”
He continued, “I think you’re going to really see the beauty of the animation. The production design is really beautiful and fresh. And I think seeing these stories from fresh eyes is always going to be worthwhile, no matter how old you are.”
Why ‘The Chosen’ got an animated series
While working on production for the second season of “The Chosen,” Eves, Jenkins and Ryan Swanson — a writer for “The Chosen” and the creator of “The Chosen Adventures” — were sitting together at an Airbnb just north of the film set in Goshen, Utah, reading online reactions to the first season.
They noticed a pattern. Numerous parents reported that their children were rewatching the third episode of the first season, which is when Jesus connects with two young children.
“That kind of blew us away,” Swanson said. “And so the conversation kind of spun to: At the end of the day, what is the show we wished we had had as kids?”
“It wasn’t a direct line, though,” he added. “It took us like four years to really kind of figure out the right balance. How do you tell this story and keep it universal, but also keep it Christian? How do we tell the story without it being too homework-y?”
They found that balance by rooting the series in the curious nature of the show’s leading character, 9-year-old Abby. The series is driven by Abby and her friends, who ask dozens of questions every episode, which spur experiences and lessons, many of which are taught by Jesus, that young (and older) audiences can enjoy.
Unlike the majority of modern cartoons, “The Chosen Adventures” is built on a healthy family dynamic, Swanson said. Modern cartoons and other kid shows will sometimes depict parents as dumb or make them the butt of the joke, and kids acting out is presented as comedy — but this series does none of that.
Each episode highlights a lesson, such as the importance of the Sabbath, practicing gratitude or receiving protection from Jesus.
These lessons are “backed by scripture,” said Swanson. “We hope that audiences find them universally relatable.”
‘The Chosen Adventures’ is not just for kids
When writing “The Chosen Adventures,” Swanson aimed to create something worthy of a “co-viewing experience,” or a show kids and their parents could enjoy together.
While providing an early screening of the series, Eves said he saw multigenerational audiences, such as great-grandparents watching the show with great-grandkids.
He believes older audiences will like “The Chosen Adventures” because it shares Bible stories in easy-to-consume bits they can enjoy alongside younger viewers.
“I think the thing for me is getting people to gather,” Eves said. “I think that’s the key for all this, because I think that’s where the real magic happens.”
He added, “We’re hoping that family will gather together and enjoy it together and have discussions about what they just talked about, or the fun moments that they have, are the characters that they love.”
But the spinoff series is also for adult viewers who do not have young kids to watch with, Jenkins said.
“We want to make kids feel, and adults as well, like they don’t have to walk into a big church building to experience God and to experience these truths,” Jenkins said. “‘The Chosen Adventures’ is a way to showcase and explore another side of Jesus and another side of the first century that’s through the eyes of children, and that’s good, not only for kids, but for adults.”
The expanding ‘Chosen’ universe
Ahead of “The Chosen” Season 5 release in March, the series had reached more than 280 million viewers in 175 countries. And the theatrical release of the fifth season boosted “The Chosen” franchise past $100 million at the box office, as previously reported by the Deseret News.
With the rising success of biblical dramas, particularly “The Chosen,” Jenkins is expanding his projects far beyond just “The Chosen Adventures.” Shows such as "The Chosen In The Wild with Bear Grylls,” a series called “Joseph of Egypt” and another series following Moses are all in the works.
The motivation behind all these shows, including “The Chosen Adventures,” is to urge viewers to turn to scripture, said Swanson, the creator of the animated spinoff series.
While writing the series, Swanson was guided by a series of questions: “Does it point back to God? Is it God-honoring? Does it point back to the Bible and does it make us laugh?”
Jenkins hopes that “The Chosen” media universe will demonstrate that there can be high-quality, enjoyable faith-based media in every format — whether is is live-action, animated or unscripted television.
“We want to show people that all the ways that you experience media and storytelling, they can all be through a biblical lens,” Jenkins said.
When does ‘The Chosen Adventures’ come out?
All 14 episodes of “The Chosen Adventures” will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on Friday, Oct. 17, in the United States and internationally in the United Kingdom, Latin America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and sub-Saharan Africa.