It’s hard to believe, as the the end of The Chosen’s third season premiered only a few months ago, but the production of Season 4 has already begun. The showrunners recently released a short video providing a behind-the-scenes look at the first days of the new season’s production, giving fans a look not only at what’s to come, but also at the immense fun the cast seems to have with each other.
The video begins with Yasmine Al-Bustami, who plays the part of Ramah, excitedly exclaiming “We’re back!” followed by a chorus of the sentiment by various members of the cast and crew. The cast explained that it was a strange feeling returning to the set and picking up the same scenes where the last season ended after several months, as though no time had passed. The consensus was that the feeling was “really weird, but fun,” with Al-Bustami noting with amusement, “mostly weird.”
Dallas Jenkins, who serves as the show’s producer, director, and principal writer, was the only one who seemed stressed, no doubt due to a later revelation of the video that inclement weather had forced them to rearrange their shooting schedule on day one, but he was still enthusiastic. Meanwhile, Adam Drake, First Assistant Director, cheerfully lamented that the tight schedule he spent months planning had already gone awry.
Jenkins seemed a little somber as he noted that this season may not be as difficult to shoot – unlike the practical effects of Jesus walking on water in Season 3 – but it is more emotional. For those familiar with the chronology of events in the biblical narratives, it should not be a spoiler to mention that this is the season in which John the Baptist dies. The director noted that he is excited to show the reactions of the Apostles to the news of his demise, especially Andrew, who was close to John the Baptist.
The video is kept light and playful with quirky captions that note when someone has broken the mood, or ask the viewers to caption a particular freeze frame on Jenkins in the comments below. Subsequently, the viewers are given brief peeks at how a few of the actors view their characters; for example, Alessandro Colla explained that he does not think his character Jairus would react well to the demanding and changing on-set schedule, noting, “I think Jairus would definitely panic if something like [a schedule change] happened because he wants his ducks in a row.”
This behind-the-scenes footage is a fun watch for any fan of The Chosen and accomplishes its goal of building excitement for the new season in just six minutes. Producers explain that the planned timeframe for the shooting of Season 4 is just 75 days. Unfortunately, even though the production will be in the can by July, audiences will still have to wait until 2024 for the premiere of the fourth season of The Chosen.
Haven’t seen The Chosen or need a recap? Click here to start watching the hit series on the life of Christ today.
