The creator and director of The Chosen says the home video release of Season 4 has been delayed due to legal issues but that it will be available in churches and also will be extended in theaters.
“I know that it feels disappointing,” Dallas Jenkins said in a livestream Sunday on the series’ official platforms.
In the past -- during Season 3, for example -- episodes of The Chosen quickly transitioned to the series’ official app following their theatrical run. Season 4 will be different, though.
“We cannot release Season 4 to streaming now,” Jenkins said. “And there will be a delay longer than we anticipated and hoped for. There are some legal matters that we are dealing with right now that are hopefully being resolved.”
“I, unfortunately,” he added later, “can't share any more details about the legal situation. …The goal is to have them resolved so that we can, long-term and short-term, better serve you, ensure the show remains free forever and gets to over a billion people, and also allows us to be sustainable forever.”
Every episode of Season 4 of The Chosen debuted in theaters, marking the first time that a television series launched on that platform on such a wide scale.
While the legal issues are being resolved, he said, “we are coming up with ways that we can get this show to you quicker.”
One of those is through churches. The non-profit partner Come and See Foundation on Monday announced that Season 4 is available for churches to host promotional screenings beginning Wednesday, March 13 through Outreach Media and Sermon.net. Screenings will be free. It also will be available in prisons. Information on screening in churches is available at ComeandSeeFoundation.org/church.
“The energy this groundbreaking series is bringing worldwide is electric – we hear stories every day of people engaging with the humanity of Jesus as their lives are transformed,” said Stan Jantz, CEO of the Come and See Foundation. “... We’re thrilled to give back to our devoted fans and serve as a catalyst for global impact, helping people come and see the life change that can come from knowing Jesus.”
Jenkins said the theatrical release has been extended in some locations. Additionally, he said, it eventually will be available “at a discount” in theaters.
“We're trying to get this to you as soon as we can,” he said. “We're trying to get it to you as cheap as possible.”
Seasons 1 through 3 can be watched, for free, on The Chosen app.
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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.