Season 4 of The Chosen will not be all sunshine and roses according to one of the show's stars, and will include a few painful moments.
The Chosen depicts the everyday life of Jesus Christ and his disciples based on the New Testament of the Holy Bible. It was originally distributed by Angel Studios (which is still a licensee of the show), but is now partnered with Lionsgate.
The first three seasons have grown increasingly popular over the years to the point where the entirety of Season 4 will be released in theaters throughout February 2024 (the first three episodes of the upcoming installment will be released on February 1, 2024).
The Chosen Season 4's 'Painful' Tone and Story
In an interview with The Washington Times, The Chosen actress Elizabeth Tabish (who portrays Mary Magdalene) revealed that Season 4 will include a lot of extremely emotionally heavy moments.
The star went as far as to warn viewers that "it's a really painful season," and that "there's a lot of grief:"
"Hopefully, everyone’s been warned. It’s a really painful season; there’s a lot of grief in this season."
As The Chosen is a depiction of the life of Jesus Christ, it makes sense that the show will get more and more "painful" with each passing season, especially considering how Jesus will be crucified at some point in the series.
Tabish stated she already "realized" that "it's going to get harder and more painful:"
"I think about it all the time. I realized after each season’s finished filming, oh, there’s more, and it gets harder; it’s going to get harder and more painful."
Tabish's character, Mary Magdalene, is a devout follower of Jesus and spends a lot of time with him and his disciples.
In the TV show they all witness Jesus perform miracles, but, at the same time, also have to witness his persecution.
Tabish added that the emotionally taxing element of being in the show is not just because of what happens on-screen, but how she has to portray her character:
"It’s showing up to work every day in the sun outside, crying over and over and over with all your friends."
The actress also included that she does feel a sense of "relief" when filming is finished, but that it is short-lived since she "[knows] what's coming:"
"Every time it’s over, after each season, there’s this relief of like, ‘Oh, I can rest,’ but not for long, knowing what’s coming up the line."
Tabish also teased there will be a lot of difficult themes tackled in the upcoming season, with one example being the reasoning that Jesus heals one person but not another:
"There’s just, I think, really difficult questions that are sort of answered."
However, while Season 4 will include a lot of heaviness, Tabish also stated that "the relief that comes from Jesus," as well as "the peace" he brings will still be on full display:
"[Season 4 will still showcase] the relief that comes from Jesus, the peace that comes with that, there is light to the dark, that there’s purpose in all of these things."
Tabish further explained, by dealing with those themes, the show ultimately depicts what "the whole point of faith is:"
"At the end of the day, it’s like, well, that’s what faith is: You aren’t really supposed to know while you’re alive. That’s the whole point of faith is believing in something without truly knowing it."
The Mary Magdalene actress also talked about how The Chosen has helped her through her struggles, specifically explaining the "depression" she went through before being cast:
"I was going through a depression before I booked the show. I don’t think I would have booked this role had I not experienced that and felt that. I’m constantly surprised by these gifts that come from pain. And these wonderful things that come from really difficult experiences."
In the Bible, Mary Magdalene is not only a close friend of Jesus, but she is also a major part of Christian history's most important moment - Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.
That being said, while being in The Chosen has ultimately helped Tabish, she understands the "responsibility" that comes with it:
"I’m eager to do these scenes, but they’re daunting. They’re these really pivotal moments in history that we’re tasked to embody and act. It’s just always, always there in my mind, constant reminders everywhere I go. It feels like a responsibility."
What Will Happen in The Chosen Season 4?
Elizabeth Tabish teased Season 4 of The Chosen will feature moments that are emotionally painful for the audience, but what exactly will occur to elicit this type of response?
It is important to remember Season 3 ended with Jesus feeding the 5,000 and then walking on water (two of the most well-known miracles in biblical history), so fans can infer what will happen next.
When talking about painful moments in Jesus' life, many will automatically think of Judas betraying Jesus, the crucifixion, and all of the moments in between such as his time in the Garden of Gethsemane (when Jesus was in so much mental anguish that he sweat blood).
While those will be extremely emotional scenes when they occur in The Chosen, creator and writer Dallas Jenkins confirmed in an interview with Deadline that they will not occur until Season 6:
"[The crucifixion will occur in] Season six and the resurrection will occur in season seven. Spoiler alert!"
One upcoming event that was confirmed to take place in Season 4 is the brutal death of John the Baptist.
In a behind-the-scenes video shared by The Chosen's official YouTube channel, some of the cast and crew talk about this scene, and some footage of it being filmed was even revealed.
This will undoubtedly be one of the most "painful" scenes in Season 4, not only because of how brutal his death is in the Bible but also because he was close to Jesus and the disciples (John the Baptist was Jesus' cousin).
In the New Testament, specifically in Matthew 14:10-12, it details that John the Baptist was beheaded, and then his severed head was brought to Herodias' daughter on a charger plate:
"And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus."
Fans can expect to see the raw reactions of the disciples and Jesus once they find out that John has been killed.
As Tabish stated in the interview, one of the most difficult parts of acting in The Chosen is having to cry continuously alongside the people she considers friends, and it is safe to assume that there will be a lot of crying when this scene is depicted.
While the crucifixion will not happen in Season 4, the show will still be building toward that event. In the Bible, as Jesus continues his ministry and travels to Jerusalem, the Romans, and the people become increasingly hostile toward him. This will also likely be portrayed in Season 4.
It is unclear what will exactly occur in Season 4, but as The Chosen builds toward Jesus' crucifixion, fans can expect to see the story become increasingly darker in tone and more emotional.
Season 4 will premiere in theaters on February 1, 2024.
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