The Chosen Season 5 Box Office Smash Exposes Hollywood’s Missed TV Goldmine

It’s been disclosed that Hollywood is overlooking an opportunity to amplify the success of notable TV shows further. The faith-based television production, a biblical retelling, was developed by Dallas Jenkins (known for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) and portrays the life of Jesus Christ as played by Jonathan Roumie. A supporting cast includes Shahar Isaac as Simon Peter, Elizabeth Tabish as Mary Magdalene, Noah James as Andrew, Paras Patel as Matthew, George H. Xanthis as John, Shaan Sharma as Shmuel, Nick Shakoour as Zebedee, Giavani Cairo as Thaddeus, and Jordan Walker Ross as Young James.

Starting in 2019, the show initially aired on VidAngel, but as it grew, its distribution became more intricate. From season 3 onwards, groups of two or three episodes from the series were first screened in theaters, followed by their appearance on numerous streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video. However, for seasons 5 (the latest) up to the upcoming season 7, episodes will be exclusively streamable on Amazon Prime Video for 90 days following their theatrical releases, after which they will become free to watch.

The Chosen Season 5 Has Seen The Biggest Box Office Performance Of The Franchise

The Season Revolves Around The Last Supper

In the past few months, the fifth season of “The Chosen” television series has raked in impressive figures at the box office. The season was split into three parts, each titled “The Last Supper – Part 1 ” to “Part 3“, and it set several records during its release spanning Spring 2025. For instance, “Part 1” garnered the highest-ever debut weekend earnings for the series with $11.8 million, while all three parts of “The Last Supper” collectively brought in a total of $47.9 million, which is currently the highest grossing amount any season has made at the box office. Below, you’ll find the box office earnings for every theatrical presentation in the series:

Release	Box Office	Season Total
Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers (2021)	$13.4 million	$13.4 million
The Chosen Season 3: Episodes 1 & 2 (2022)	$14.7 million	–
The Chosen Season 3 Finale (2023)	$5.6 million	$20.3 million
The Chosen: Season 4 Episodes 1-3 (2024)	$14.4 million	–
The Chosen: Season 4 Episodes 4-6 (2024)	$9.5 million	–
The Chosen: Season 4 Episodes 7-8 (2024)	$7.7 million	$31.6 million
The Chosen: Last Supper — Part 1 (2025)	$23.8 million	–
The Chosen: Last Supper — Part 2 (2025)	$12.4 million	–
The Chosen: Last Supper — Part 3 (2025)	$11.7 million	$47.9 million

It’s possible that multiple elements contributed to The Chosen shattering series records. One significant factor was its debut during the Easter season, as the narrative of The Last Supper is closely associated with this holiday. This connection likely made the production an appealing Easter viewing option for its primary audience. Furthermore, the subtitle The Last Supper concealed the fact that it was part of a continuing series by omitting “season 5” from the title. Such a detail might have deterred potential viewers who hadn’t yet seen the first four seasons and feared they wouldn’t be able to follow along without prior knowledge.

Independent of the causes behind its remarkable theater success in 2025, it’s crucial not to overlook the continuing box office triumph of this series. This is particularly relevant given that The Last Supper Part 2 and Part 3 earned less than the initial releases of seasons 3 and 4, which underscores the series’ enduring appeal in attracting viewers.

The Chosen Is A Rare TV Show That’s Gotten Theatrical Releases

Television Has Not Historically Competed At The Box Office

It’s quite extraordinary how successful the show “The Chosen” has been, given that it’s not common for television series to have significant theatrical releases. This is primarily because, in the past, television and cinema were often seen as rivals, each vying for viewers in the entertainment industry. As TV gained popularity in the 1950s, movie studios responded by creating techniques to make films more appealing, such as introducing 3D presentations, larger formats, and epics like religious dramas such as “Ben-Hur” (1959) and grandiose musicals like “West Side Story” (1961).

Numerous TV series have transitioned from small-screen to big-screen productions in films, like “Charlie’s Angels” (2000), “Sex and the City” (2008), “21 Jump Street” (2012) and “Baywatch” (2017). Nevertheless, it is quite rare for TV episodes to play in cinemas except as part of specific events. However, there have been instances where television episode packages were screened in theaters, such as the 1955 premiere of the “Davy Crockett” compilation titled “The King of the Wild Frontier.

Other television shows that have released episodes or episode packages in cinemas include:
– The miniseries “Scenes from a Marriage” (originally produced in 1973 and later edited for a theatrical release),
– “Picard,” where its last episodes will be screened in IMAX theaters in 2023,
– And “Yellowstone,” which premiered the first two hours of season 5 in AMC Theatres before it aired on Paramount Network.

Hollywood Shouldn’t Ignore The Chosen Season 5’s Box Office Success

It Might Not Only Be A Faith-Based Phenomenon

It might not be prudent for Hollywood to disregard the financial success of the series at the cinema. The biblical series may appear to only cater to a specific religious audience, yet it’s been drawing theatergoers quite consistently, especially for new releases from Angel Studios, the team behind the 2023 blockbuster Sound of Freedom. Interestingly, this distribution strategy could appeal to a broader audience too, particularly if The Chosen season 6 continues to build upon the success of season 5, demonstrating its enduring popularity.

One interesting aspect that contributes to the success of “The Chosen” is its unique setup: the show will eventually be available for streaming at no cost. Yet, surprisingly, viewers are eager to watch the episodes in cinemas instead. If a similar strategy were to be applied to other series with dedicated fanbases who aren’t religiously affiliated, it could potentially yield similar results.

More TV Shows Could Benefit From Theatrical Releases

Bigger Streamers And Networks Could Be Missing Out

It appears quite likely that shows like those produced by popular streamers and networks would receive similar box office success if presented in theaters, especially if these theatrical releases came before their initial television premieres. This might not apply to series focusing on smaller stories, such as the restaurant drama “The Bear”, but big-budget productions such as HBO’s “House of the Dragon”, FX on Hulu’s “Shōgun”, and Netflix’s “Stranger Things” could potentially thrive with a theatrical release due to their large fanbases.

It appears that “The Chosen” has shown us an interesting fact: A brief theater screening, even in a limited number of cinemas, could significantly increase the earnings for major television or streaming series. This is due to the fact that theatrical releases can function as promotional campaigns for a show’s broadcast on TV or streaming platforms. Streaming services have already utilized this strategy in another form, with shows like Prime Video’s “Saltburn” and “Air”, and Apple TV+’s “Napoleon” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” having theater premieres before their home release.

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2025-05-02 02:31