Is The Chosen Season 4 the beginning of the end of the hit Bible-based series?
Since its 2019 debut, Dallas Jenkins' historical Christian drama has become one of the highest-performing streaming series and, most recently, a regular presence in theaters.
In continuing its fresh perspective of the New Testament, The Chosen opted to release its eight-episode fourth season in theaters ahead of streaming.
Now that fans know Season 4's streaming debut is "soon," the question now is how many more seasons does The Chosen have left?
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How Many Seasons of The Chosen Are There?
According to series showrunner Dallas Jenkins, The Chosen has at least two more seasons in the works.
But there is a question of what form that final season may take.
With Season 4 complete, Jenkins revealed (via DeseretNews) that filming for Season 5 is expected to begin in April, sharing that those upcoming episodes will get "even more real."
When asked about his master plan for the series, the showrunner confirmed to Deadline in 2023 that "we knew where we were going from the start," citing both the Bible and his own show "bible" which contained a seven-season goal:
"Yes, we have a Bible, literally, for the show, but we also have a lowercase bible. We have plotted out the seven seasons. If you are watching on The CW, as people are wrapping up season two heading into season three. They should know that when we started, we knew where we were going. We knew how this would end. We thinking the seventh season now."
But even though he "plotted out the seven seasons," that doesn't mean The Chosen's future is wholly set in stone.
Jenkins went on to explain that having a plan allows him and the creative team "freedom to play within" the boundaries they set:
"I just finished the writing season five because we know where the story goes and allows us the freedom to play within those boundaries. So yeah, we do have this plotted out, just not all of the scripts are written just yet."
What is written is The Chosen's plan to show the Crucifixion in Season 6 and then the Resurrection in Season 7.
But again, that "freedom" Jenkins referenced may also apply to format, not just storytelling.
In a January 2024 interview with Newsweek, Dallas Jenkins revealed his hopes "to do a feature film" centered on the Resurrection (and thus Season 7) story:
"We're hoping also to potentially do a feature film within that whole storyline, so we've got some plans for that that we're developing now."
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Could The Chosen Get a Season 8?
While there's admitted flexibility in terms of the script, it's clear that Dallas Jenkins and The Chosen had a seven-chapter game plan from the start; and so far, they've stuck to it.
If that record continues, Season 4 is a turning point in that the show is more than halfway to its conclusion.
But is there a possibility for The Chosen to get a Season 8?
While it's true that neither The Chosen nor Dallas Jenkins are strangers to theatrical releases, converting what would be an eight-episode season into a roughly two-hour feature film is a huge change in terms of length.
Since the show has been such a juggernaut, would it be best to capitalize on its success by shooting a full Season 7 and then opting for a theatrical film as its finale?
It's worth noting that a show solely focused on Jesus' life and ministry normally wouldn't fill seven seasons, but Jenkins' Biblical drama is unique.
Along with Jonathan Roumie's Jesus, The Chosen features an ensemble cast, presenting the perspective of those who saw and interacted with him and allowing for near-endless storytelling potential.
For now, The Chosen's final season and/or its theatrical film is still years away.
But once Season 4 arrives on streaming and filming for Season 5 gets underway, fans should expect more concrete news on how The Chosen intends to end.
Season 4 of The Chosen is now playing in theaters. Season 4's streaming release date is currently unknown.
