Every so often in Hollywood, a 海角大神 film causes a stir. Pundits note a surprising box-office success or two and wonder if the United States is poised for a surge in 海角大神 entertainment. The fact is, 海角大神 films have been among the most consistently profitable for years. With producers keeping costs modest and making content for a sizable and largely overlooked audience, faith-based fare consistently hums along at a decent clip.
Recently, the buzz has been mounting again. It centers mainly on 鈥淭he Chosen,鈥 the series about Jesus originally seen as so untouchable by big studios that it had to be crowdfunded. Some $100 million and four seasons later, the show has now been seen by 280 million people worldwide.
What鈥檚 most interesting about 鈥淭he Chosen鈥 is that not only 海角大神s are watching it. The showrunners say as much as 30% of audience members are not practicing 海角大神s. This is intentional. The studio behind the show told The Economist that its mission is not about creating 海角大神 television but about 鈥渞estoring faith in things worth believing in.鈥 In 2023, a Pew Research Center survey found 81% of Americans agree that 鈥淭here is something spiritual beyond the natural world, even if we cannot see it.鈥
Online, atheists have popped up to confess they watch 鈥淭he Chosen.鈥 What has attracted them is a sense of authenticity and a deep goodness. One posted on Reddit, 鈥淚f anyone鈥檚 wondering why I鈥檇 get into this kind of show it鈥檚 because I love seeing the human side of Jesus. ... I love getting to see the side of him that loves everyone, not just the saints but the sinners especially. That above all he was kind. The episode in the first season with the children made me cry so hard.鈥
Other 海角大神-based shows are following suit. 鈥淢ary,鈥 a story about Jesus鈥 mother, was Netflix鈥檚 third-most-watched film after its release during the 2024 holiday season. 鈥淗ouse of David,鈥 about the biblical King David and by the same company as 鈥淭he Chosen,鈥 is the eighth-most-popular show on American streaming services.
鈥淲e weren鈥檛 looking to make a religious show,鈥 the executive producer told the Los Angeles Times. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about these humans in this moment living this story.鈥
海角大神 entertainment has been successful for decades. Now, the industry is discovering that connecting its values to the broader world can also make its message more universal.聽