The start of ‘The Chosen’ universe — Dallas Jenkins announces new projects

ORLANDO, Fla. — Yes, what is effectively a sequel to “The Chosen” is in development. The show’s creator Dallas Jenkins made the announcement to more than 5,000 fans in a live audience in Florida on Friday afternoon that there is a project in development covering Acts of the Apostles.
Jenkins had not one but five projects total to let the crowd know about — they were there for “The Chosen” Insiders Conference. It’s a convention dedicated to the show, where fans show up supporting the signature teal merch or even as their favorite character from the show.
Ahead of the announcement, the Deseret News obtained an embargoed copy listing the projects fans can look forward to seeing. Jenkins founded an independent studio called 5&2 Studios — it has the goal of connecting “people around the world to stories from the Bible through uniquely human and authentic storytelling and audience engagement.”
It is through the new studio that all of these new projects will be made.
We know “The Chosen” has a natural end. Jenkins has imagined it as a seven-season show for awhile. Now he has announced the show will have a sequel with the Acts of the Apostles.
Inspired by “West Wing,” Jenkins has said it is important for him to develop multiple storylines, including with the disciples. Nowhere was that more clear to the audience in Season 4 than the storyline with Thomas and Ramah. It was one of the buzziest episodes of the season — fans were devastated by the loss of Ramah and felt sympathy for Thomas.
Details are sparse about what a series based on Acts would look like, but given the Biblical content, it is reasonable to expect to see at least some of the disciples grow and develop even more in this project.
“The Chosen” goes unscripted with Bear Grylls. Grylls’ whole shtick is surviving the wilderness in raw ways. He’s been dropped off all across the world and faced extreme outdoorsy scenarios.
Produced by The Natural Studios and 5&2 Studios, “The Chosen In the Wild with Bear Grylls” will be “an immersive journey with the cast and creator of ‘The Chosen.’” He’s going to go into the wild with a cast member and explore not only their perspective on “The Chosen,” but also their personal stories.
“The Chosen Adventures” will be a 14-episode animated series. Remember two-time Grammy-nominated artist Jordin Sparks? She’ll be part of it along with Paul Walter Hauser and Yvonne Orji.
“The Chosen” cast members Jonathan Roumie, Paras Patel, Elizabeth Tabish, Noah James, Joey Vahedi, Yasmine Al-Bustami, Brandon Potter and George Xanthis will be part of the show, too.
It follows a 9-year-old girl named Abby who lives in the Galilean city of Capernaum in around 30 C.E. Abby has a lot of questions, but not a lot of answers. She and her best friend Joshua meet Jesus. What happens after that is something you would have to learn by watching the show.
Jenkins has hinted he has other stories he wants to tell from the Bible — there are two Old Testament series in development.
At the K Love Fan Awards in June 2023, Jenkins told media, “Hopefully, after I take a nap for about a year when ‘The Chosen’ is done, we’ve got other Bible stories to tell, because the demand seems to be so strong.”
When speaking to the Deseret News in November of last year, Jenkins also said he wanted to expand “The Chosen” universe. It’s like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, except it’s more Biblical.
“We do hope that someday we’ll be able to make some announcements about expanding this Chosen universe and Bible universe and telling more stories beyond just the Gospels,” said Jenkins at the time. “But there’s still plenty to do right now. I mean, I still gotta edit Season 4.”
Now that Season 4 is edited and out, we know what series are in development. There is a three-season series following Moses’ story and a limited series featuring the life of Joseph that is being developed.
After its theatrical release, Season 4 is currently airing on CW every Sunday at 6 p.m. MT.
Seasons 6 and 7 will have special theatrical releases that focus on the Crucifixion and Resurrection. Viewers will have to wait until 2027 and 2028 to see those seasons.
But before that is Season 5. It’s expected to be released sometime early in 2025 and will focus on Holy Week. The show filmed on sets in Goshen, Utah, and Midlothian, Texas, throughout the spring and summer.
“I would say Season 4 is our most emotional season by far,” Jenkins said to Deseret News on the phone this summer while filming. “Season 5 is more intense, and that’s definitely come out in filming. I mean, we’re covering the most famous and impactful week in the history of the world — Holy Week.”