The Chosen's screenwriter explained why certain Biblical events didn't make it into the show, and why there's one that fans shouldn't "give up on" just yet.
At ChosenCon 2024, where showrunner Dallas Jenkins announced a new slate of spin-offs and sequels, writer Ryan Swanson discussed the upcoming season, the rules for writing the hit Bible-based series, and some risks they're taking in Season 5.
Why The Chosen Skipped Certain Bible Stories
Since The Chosen is a multi-season series spanning the ministry of Jesus, fans familiar with the Bible have been anticipating certain New Testament events to unfold on-screen.
One of the events at the top of fans' wish list has long been the Transfiguration.
Recorded in the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the Transfiguration is when Jesus took three of his disciples up a mountain where he's transformed (or transfigured), his clothes and face becoming dazzlingly bright, and Moses and Elijah (figures from the Old Testament) appear and talk with Him.
When Ryan Swanson was asked why The Chosen opted to skip the Transfiguration, the writer attributed its absence to the show's need for "coherence," but that doesn't mean "those things didn't happen:"
"We were faced at times throughout this entire series portraying moments that maybe we loved... Forget loving it - it's there. God put them on the page. We had to dramatic choices based on the coherence of our television show. We needed the series to move in an emotional direction. When it doesn't, we're not saying that those things didn't happen - that they weren't huge moments or wouldn't change lives. But they didn't necessarily make it into our scripts because we were telling the story, and we continued to tell the story of at least 15 people and their walk with Jesus."
But even so, Swanson suggested fans shouldn't give up on certain Biblical occurrences just yet, including the Transfiguration, as they may appear in "a different series:"
"I would say, if we missed the moment, don't give up on it. We might get back there, and we might actually get back there in a different series."
While fans may have to wait for one of The Chosen's new sequels or spin-offs to finally see the Transfiguration on-screen, it's worth noting that the series has already ventured outside its timeline before through flashbacks and even Lost-esque flashforwards.
When asked whether audiences should expect more of this storytelling device in Season 5 and even into Seasons 6 and 7, Swanson answered, "Definitely:"
"Definitely. It's one of our favorite things too. We feel that the Old Testament is all leading up to the New and, to specifically, this week. This week [Holy Week], prophecy is fulfilled and so to not allude to things that came before or to not give proper weight to what Jesus was fulfilling that week is to lose the forest for the trees. We need to show an overview, and the way we get there oftentimes is to flashback to the prophets."
In continuing to discuss flashbacks and Season 5 expectations, Swanson alluded to "some risks," particularly when Jesus is "in the Garden of Gethsemane:"
"We have moments in the garden that I think is cinematically exciting. We took some risks you might even say. The risks we took come directly from the text. If you read through when he's in the Garden of Gethsemane, you see him alluding to prophets of the past or making reference to things that have been prophesized. We dove into those moments and so we really hope we can bring a new picture for poeple to hear the same old story."
Rules for Writing The Chosen
When asked about how he keeps the validation of the Bible intact, The Chosen writer revealed the rules he and the team follow, which is "the words of the Bible stay behind an electrified fence:"
"It is never hard to keep validation of the Bible intact. Starting with our organizing principle, rule one: the words of the Bible stay behind an electrified fence. We can't touch it, we don't coopt it, we don't add to it. So that part is taken care of. Where we deal in the margins is simply to figure out where the camera is..."
In terms of his writing process, Swanson touched on the goal of offering a "new perspective" on well-known events but also "world-class entertainment that's driven by choices" for those who don't know the Bible:
"So how do we get into that scene that we read about maybe all our lives? And, see it in a new way that offers the initiated a new perspective and the uninitiated, who may never read that Bible, a piece of world-class entertainment that's driven by choices and that has dramatic consequences for the character."
"So that's really what our process is," Swanson explained, "what's the way into this story?"
As for "this story," Ryan Swanson, fellow writer Tyler Thompson, and showrunner and director Dallas Jenkins tackled a jam-packed week of historical events for Season 5 beginning with Palm Sunday and concluding with the Last Supper.
With Season 5's release still months away, Swanson revealed they're already penning Season 6 and its Crucifixion storyline now, and he thinks they found "a new way" to tell this "emotionally draining" yet well-known story:
"As Tyler [Thompson], Dallas [Jenkins], and I write Season 6 now, we're looking at 24 hours of the most well-known, well-covered emotionally draining material you can conceive of trying to reenact. We're looking for ways into that, and we actually feel enthusiastic at times because we think we found a new way to tell this story that doesn't focus on the things we've always been shown from the felt board to other portrayals to words on a page."
The Chosen Season 5 is set to debut in 2025, followed by Season 6 in 2027 and Season 7 in 2028.
Seasons 1-3 of The Chosen are streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. Seasons 1-4 are available to stream on the show's free app, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video.
