(The Lion) — Calling it “the hardest thing” he’s ever done, the creator and director of The Chosen issued an urgent prayer request from Italy this week as he and his crew film the much-anticipated crucifixion scenes, just as the series prepares to expand its already-global presence even further.
Dallas Jenkins shared the prayer request with fans in a selfie video from the Season 6 set, where actors stood beneath a sun-drenched sky and crosses loomed in the background.
“I think God is just testing us and putting us at the edge so we rely more on Him,” Jenkins said, reflecting on the challenges of filming Christ’s final hours in another country, where he noted a language barrier, rugged terrain, logistical hurdles and the emotional weight of the scene all come into play.
In previous seasons, Jenkins and his team filmed in Texas or Utah. But for a more authentic depiction of the resurrection – without relying on green screens or CGI – they chose to shoot in Italy, where the landscape closely resembles first-century Israel. Because of the international production and an expanded film schedule, Season 6 is the most expensive installment of The Chosen yet.
Some of the crucifixion scenes will be filmed at night.
“This really is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Jenkins said.
“Your prayers matter. We feel them,” he added, tears in his eyes, “so just continue.”
The final two seasons of the seven-season Chosen series mark the culmination of what has become the most influential and popular faith-based entertainment project of the modern era, with 250 million viewers worldwide and a remarkably diverse range of fans – from psychologist Jordan Peterson to actor Chris Pratt to talk show host Whoopi Goldberg.
Fans will have to wait a bit to watch the final two seasons, though. Season 6 is expected to launch in the final months of 2026, with the final episode – presumably featuring the crucifixion – landing in theaters in March 2027. Season 7 will debut with a standalone film in March 2028, apparently centered on the resurrection. All episodes eventually land on Prime Video for an exclusive 90-day window before becoming available on The Chosen app.
Actor Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Jesus and is a devout Catholic, has described the series as a gift to God.
“This is all just an offering to Him and for souls and for reaching people on a level that they haven’t reached,” he said.
Jenkins said he understands fans’ interest in the crucifixion and resurrection scenes. Yet he quickly added, “Every verse in Scripture is sacred. Every moment of Jesus’ life was sacred. Everything is important to get right.”
“We never get too comfortable, because we know that this is really hard work, and we really want to capture a perfect God and a perfect story through us as imperfect people,” he said.
Meanwhile, fans of The Chosen can look forward to new content even after the series concludes. Last year, Jenkins’ 5&2 Studios announced five new projects as part of an ambitious expansion of The Chosen universe. Two of those – an animated children’s series named The Chosen Adventures, and a reality program, The Chosen In the Wild with Bear Grylls – are expected to launch in the coming months. Three others – on the biblical characters of Moses and Joseph and an Acts-centric series dubbed The Way of The Chosen – are further down the road.
At the K-Love Fan Awards in May, Jenkins hinted that Roumie could return for future projects.
“Lots of the stories, even from the Old Testament, are pointing to Jesus,” Jenkins said while a smiling Roumie stood by his side. “So I’m very hopeful that this won’t be the last time we see Jonathan in one of my Bible stories.”
