A partnership between The Chosen and a newly formed nonprofit aims to translate the popular series into 600 languages and extend its worldwide reach.
The new nonprofit, the Come and See Foundation, has the goal of dubbing The Chosen into 100 languages and subtitling it into 500 more. The series is available, for free, on a new app owned by the Come and See Foundation. The app will include additional content, such as "Bible Roundtables" and a Season 3 aftershow. Users also will be able to make tax-deductible gifts through the app. That money will be used to "continue its production, keep the show free around the world" and translate it "into hundreds of languages," the news release said.
The foundation calls itself a "growth and outreach resource for The Chosen."
"This new partnership with Come and See supercharges our efforts," said Dallas Jenkins, creator and director of The Chosen. "We're able to produce episodes bigger and faster, get them translated into more languages, and market the show on a scale previously impossible."
Season 1 has been dubbed in 12 languages and subtitled in 62 languages. Season 2 has been dubbed in seven languages, with 20 language subtitles.
Translating The Chosen into other languages is essential for it to reach the goal of having 1 billion people watch it, supporters say.
"The Chosen is such a dynamic and powerful story," said Stan Jantz, CEO of the Come and See Foundation. Jantz formerly served as the president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and on the board of trustees of Biola University. "With the formation of the Come and See Foundation, our plan is to take The Chosen around the world, reaching much of the World's population, so they are able to experience Jesus in their native tongue."
Matt Green, the Ministry Investment Officer for Hobby Lobby, is a member of the board for the Come and See Foundation. Green launched the foundation.
"I literally wept and wept" after watching The Chosen for the first time, Green said in a new video explaining the foundation's mission. "... And I said, 'Wow, what if we could come alongside The Chosen and get them into more languages?'"
About 95 percent of the world, Green said, speaks the 600 languages that are the target for translations.
The Come and See Foundation website labels The Chosen a "gospel movement."
"With your help," the website says, "we can bring the story of Jesus to the ends of the Earth."
Learn more at ComeandSee.net.
Related:
Atheists Are Watching 'The Chosen,' Dallas Jenkins Says: 'It Could Plant a Seed'
The Chosen Stuns Hollywood by Opening at No. 3: 'We're Shocking the Industry'
Photo courtesy: ©The Chosen/©Angel Studios
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.