Two biblical epics, “House of David” and “The Chosen,” are among the top 10 series on Amazon Prime in the U.S., surpassing mainstream shows like the Emmy-nominated series “Fallout” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty.”
Wonder Project’s “House of David,” which just aired its season finale, ranks No. 2 on Amazon Prime’s top 10 shows.
“We are SO grateful. All glory to God for this one,” the Wonder Project shared on Instagram Friday. “Thank you all for watching & now we’re ready to binge all 8 episodes.”
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The series, just renewed for season two, dramatizes the accounts of Saul and David in 1 Samuel and is helmed by “Jesus Revolution” filmmakers Jon Erwin and Jon Gunn.
Meanwhile, Dallas Jenkins’ “The Chosen,” which signed a streaming deal with Amazon Prime in February, ranks No. 7 on the app’s top 10 series. Parts one and two of season five, “The Chosen: Last Supper,” currently in theaters, have also seen massive success, with part one taking in $18.6 million since its debut, per Deadline.
The latest season series, which chronicles the life of Jesus and His followers, highlights the tension between the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the looming betrayal of Jesus (Jonathan Roumie) by Judas (Luke Dimyan).
Filmed in Greece, the immense scale of “House of David” was made possible by Amazon’s involvement, Erwin previously told The Christian Post, a collaboration the filmmaker described as a “miracle.”
“For a platform this big to support us with the resources we needed to tell this story and still allow us creative control is unprecedented,” Erwin noted. “The success of projects like ‘The Chosen’ and ‘Jesus Revolution’ created the space for something like this to happen.”
“This is the first time we’ve been able to give such a massive platform to a biblical story, and that’s a huge opportunity,” Erwin reflected. “We hope this show sparks curiosity, conversation and, ultimately, a deeper appreciation for the timelessness of the Bible.”
Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship and founder of Harvest Crusades, who served as a consultant on “House of David,” said both “House of David” and “The Chosen” serve as an opportunity for cultural renewal and biblical literacy.
“I think this is one of the greatest evangelistic opportunities in recent history,” Laurie said. “Millions of people through ‘House of David’ and ‘The Chosen’ are hearing Bible stories for the first time. No movie will ever take the place of the Gospel or the Bible, nor should it. But if it inspires people who’ve never read the Bible before or have no relationship with God to want to know more, then this is something we should be celebrating, not critiquing.”
The fact that “House of David” quickly became one of the most popular shows on Amazon, he said, is significant.
“It tells us people are looking for hope and inspiration,” Laurie said. “And the days of doing mediocre work are behind us.”
He commended Erwin, Gunn and Jenkins, who also served as an advisor of “House of David,” for raising the bar in faith-based storytelling. He also addressed the tension some viewers might feel when artistic liberties are taken.
“In the first episode of ‘House of David,’ David is wounded by a javelin thrown by Goliath. People say, ‘That never happened in the Bible,’” Laurie noted. “But the Bible is not a movie script. It’s the inspired Word of God. When you tell it as a story, filmmakers may take certain liberties.”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
