More than 200 million people worldwide have watched The Chosen, according to new data that shows the marker was crossed in recent months thanks to a boost in distribution partners globally that is getting the series in front of more eyes.
Kyle Young, the executive vice president of distribution and marketing for The Chosen, told Variety that partnerships with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Peacock have helped boost the number of people who have watched the Bible-based series, which follows the story of Jesus’ ministry. International distribution, he said, also has played a major role in its growth. Season 4 launched theatrically in Brazil in recent days.
“One of the things that we did differently with Season 3 was we expanded our partnership with streaming platforms and with broadcasters,” Young said. “Prior to 2023, we were really an app-first model where Seasons 1 and 2 were maybe in the app for a year or a year and a half before they released anywhere else. With Season 3, we shortened that significantly. And last year, the audience grew so significantly.
“Part of the goal at The Chosen is to get the show in front of as many people as possible. It took the first four years of the series to reach 100 million people. And then in the last 15 months, we’ve reached another 100 million people.”
The Come and See Foundation, a non-profit partner with The Chosen, has a goal of reaching 1 billion people with the series.
Season 5 will begin filming in April. It will cover Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem prior to his crucifixion.
“The entire Season 6 will cover one day, so covering one week in Season 5 feels luxurious,” creator and director Dallas Jenkins told Variety.
Katherine Warnock, vice president of original content for The Chosen, told Christian Headlines that plenty of on-the-ground work is behind the international growth.
“This is the first year that we've pushed past just organic pursuit of the international market,” Warnock said. “This is the first year we've had strategic teams on the ground really moving the needle. So that's been just extraordinary to watch.”
Image credit: The Chosen
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
