The wait is almost over for The Chosen fans. The highly anticipated fifth season of the groundbreaking series – “The Chosen: Last Supper” – premiered at a special red-carpet event in Dallas, ahead of its nationwide theatrical debut on March 28.
With cast and crew in attendance, the event marks the beginning of an eight-episode journey through Holy Week, one of the most pivotal and dramatic chapters in the life of Jesus.
Focusing on Jesus’s final days before the Crucifixion, “The Chosen: Last Supper” is expected to challenge audience expectations with an intimate and deeply human portrayal of Christ and his disciples during their final moments together.
“We’ve never seen Jesus quite like this,” Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Christ in the series, told Our Sunday Visitor. “We cover everything in great detail,” Roumie said, explaining how Catholics experience the liturgical expression of the events of Holy Week. “I don’t think anybody has attempted to do this on the scope that we’re doing it.”
Season 5 opens with Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event that sets the stage for the mounting tensions between Jesus and the religious and political authorities of the time that will unfold during Holy Week. The season will capture key Gospel moments, including the cleansing of the temple, the plot against Jesus, Judas’ betrayal, and, of course, the Last Supper itself – an episode that promises to be one of the most powerful depictions of the meal in cinematic history.
“This is Holy Week, and it’s got some of the biggest Bible moments in the world,” series creator Dallas Jenkins told Our Sunday Visitor. “We wanted to make sure what we do, as always, is set against this big backdrop with a lot of impressive effects and production value, but it’s still personal.”
Unlike the traditional artistic depictions inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, Jenkins emphasizes portraying the Last Supper as an intimate Jewish ritual meal. Describing Jesus’s words at the Last Supper, Jenkins said, “He’s got a ton of truth bombs, but we don’t want to make it sound like he’s giving a speech to a Rotary Club.”
One of the most dramatic elements of the new season is the increasing division among Jesus’s followers. While some disciples, like Simon Peter (Shahar Isaac) and Mary Magdalene (Elizabeth Tabish), sense something ominous approaching, others struggle to understand Jesus’s mission. Most notably, Judas (Luke Dimyan) wrestles with his expectations of a Messiah who will overthrow Rome – expectations that will ultimately lead to his betrayal.
The political and religious elite, including High Priest Caiaphas (Richard Fancy), King Herod Antipas (Paul Ben-Victor), and Pontius Pilate (Andrew James Allen), are also at the center of the action, each trying to navigate his own power amid the disruption caused by Jesus’s presence.
“The Chosen: Last Supper” will be released in theaters across the U.S. and Canada in three parts, beginning March 28. Later in 2025, Season 5 will make its streaming debut.
While Season 5 will not depict the Crucifixion – that will be the focus of Season 6 – the tension, sorrow and betrayal leading up to it will shape the most intense installment of “The Chosen” yet.
“I hope it turns out how it felt filming it, which is sacred,” Roumie said, expressing his hopes for how the season will impact audiences. “As long as we stay true to the Gospel and commit every ounce of artistry and strength that we possess as participants in the show, we can’t go wrong.”
“When you experience these stories,” Jenkins said, “this isn’t just about honoring a moment, this is about putting ourselves in that moment and deepening our relationship with God because what happened 2,000 years ago has very real consequences and rewards for us.”
