8 Movies Like The Chosen You Must See

Created for the VidAngel platform by Dallas Jenkins, ‘The Chosen’ is the first multi-season series on the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Jonathan Roumie stars as the son of God in the Christian drama set in the 1st century, primarily in the regions of Judah and Galilee. The story begins when Jesus is gathering followers for his ministry and is told from the perspective of the people around him, which includes both his disciples as well as the government and military officials who opposed him. The events of ‘The Chosen’ have been retold for centuries in a variety of formats, and as such, there have been multiple series and movies on the subject. If you are interested in watching stories from the Bible on screen but are unwilling to commit to a series, here are some films similar to ‘The Chosen’ to consider.

8. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

‘The Last Temptation of Christ’ from the legendary director Martin Scorsese deviates from the Gospels to base itself on the controversial eponymous novel by Nikos Kazantzakis. While it chronicles the life of Jesus of Nazareth (Willem Dafoe), the film makes him more human than the Son of God. He struggles with various complicated feelings such as fear, doubt, depression, and reluctance, and with temptations, most notably lust. Thus, it makes the subject of ‘The Chosen’ more grounded and open to scrutiny rather than being put on a pedestal.

7. Risen (2016)

‘Risen’ by Kevin Reynolds follows Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a Roman military tribune who has served a quarter of a century in the army. When the news of the resurrection of Jesus (Cliff Curtis) begins to spread, Clavius is tasked to investigate the mystery. He tries to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah along with his trusted aide Lucius (Tom Felton), but begins to question his own beliefs in the process. The film thus explores lesser-known stories that occur after the events portrayed in ‘The Chosen.

6. Mary Magdalene (2019)

‘Mary Magdalene’ stars Rooney Mara in the titular role, and tells the story of the only female disciple of Jesus of Nazareth. A free-spirited woman, Mary runs away from home when her family arranges her marriage. Her search for a purpose in life is answered when Jesus (Joaquin Phoenix) welcomes her into his new movement. The Garth Davis directorial shows Mary’s struggles in a patriarchal society that ultimately leads to a profound spiritual awakening. The events of the film at times overlap with ‘The Chosen,’ but focuses on a different central figure.

5. The Nativity Story (2006)

Catherine Hardwicke’s ‘The Nativity Story’ chronicles the arrival of the Messiah on Earth. When 14-year-old Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes) from Nazareth gets betrothed to 32-year-old Joseph (Oscar Isaac) of Judaea, she is visited by the angel Gabriel (Alexander Siddig). He informs her that she will become pregnant with God’s child, who is to be named Jesus. With Jesus in her womb, Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem for the Roman census. However, as Christ is born, they are threatened by the prophecy-obsessed King Herod, who considers the infant a threat. The film thus serves as a precursor to the events of ‘The Chosen.’

4. King of Kings (1961)

Directed by Nicholas Ray, ‘King of Kings’ is a reenactment of the complete life of Jesus Christ as told in the New Testament. The narrative begins with King Herod (Frank Thring) ordering the massacre of children in Judea after the word spread of the son of God being born in Bethlehem. Joseph (Gérard Tichy) and Mary (Siobhán McKenna) escape with their son, who grows up to perform miracles and preach kindness. Jesus (Jeffrey Hunter) is soon betrayed by his follower Judas (Rip Torn), which ultimately leads to his crucifixion. The film presents the story of ‘The Chosen’ in a far more concise manner, while including events from the Messiah’s early life.

3. The Gospel of John (2003)

Philip Saville’s directorial shares the life of Jesus of Nazareth as told in ‘The Gospel of John,’ the last-written of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament. Starring Stuart Bunce in the titular role, it retells the well-known story, focusing more on the final moments of Christ (Henry Ian Cusick) on Earth. The film is narrated by Christopher Plummer, and offers a fresh perspective on the stories included in ‘The Chosen.’

2. The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Helmed by Mel Gibson, ‘The Passion of the Christ’ details the final twelve hours before the death of Jesus Christ (Jim Caviezel) by crucifixion. The period of time, known as “the Passion,” begins with the Agony in the Garden of Olives prior to Christ’s betrayal by his disciple Judas Iscariot. This is followed by the torture of the Son of God at the hands of Roman soldiers, known as the Scourging at the Pillar. Jesus is ultimately nailed to a cross on a hill in Golgotha and is resurrected on the third day after his death. Other well-known moments from his early life, like The Last Supper and The Sermon on the Mount, which are also seen in ‘The Chosen,’ are interspersed with the narrative of the film.

1. Son of God (2014)

Christopher Spencer’s ‘Son of God’ turns the 2013 miniseries ‘The Bible’ into a two-hour-long film aimed for theatrical release. It follows the life of Jesus Christ (Diogo Morgado) as told by John (Sebastian Knapp), a former fisherman and the last surviving member of his disciples. The film incorporates all events of ‘The Chosen’ in a far more precise manner, while also including stories from the birth and early life of the Messiah. Much like the series, the events are narrated by a person close to Christ and rely on the Gospels as the source material.