JESUS TAKES HOLLYWOOD

CHRISTIAN-THEMED MOVIES AND TV SHOWS ARE DOING BIG BUSINESS LATELY, SPURRING A NEW WAVE OF FAITH-BASED CONTENT

- PAUL BOND

IN MIDLOTHIAN, TEXAS, ABOUT 25 MILES south of Dallas, sits a 1,200-acre summer camp run by The Salvation Army. Lately, the lake where kids normally canoe is doubling for the Sea of Galilee. On its banks is a replica of the Biblical village of Capernaum. This is where Jonathan Roumie-when not interrupted by the occasional low-flying airplane-is portraying Jesus Christ in the fourth season of The Chosen.

The crowdfunded series that no one in traditional Hollywood saw coming has become so successful-the first three seasons garnered more than 110 million viewers worldwide-that The Chosen's worldwide distribution rights have now been sold to Lionsgate, better known for mainstream blockbusters such as The Hunger Games. Meanwhile, one of this summer's biggest box office hits-and surprises-has been the faith-based action movie Sound of Freedom starring outspoken Catholic Jim Caviezel, who played the title role in Mel Gibson's 2004 The Passion of the Christ, as a federal agent on a mission to rescue children from sex traffickers. And Jesus Revolution, a film released earlier this year about hippies turning to Christ in the 1970s, surpassed expectations to become Lionsgate's biggest release in over four years.

Need more proof that Jesus is suddenly a very hot commodity in the entertainment industry? Consider that MGM, 21st Century Fox and Sony Pictures have each launched their own faith-based studios. Meanwhile, renowned director Martin Scorsese is planning a new film about Jesus and so is art house director Terrence Malick. And Netflix has said it is working on bringing more faithbased content to its platform as well.