By Kayla DeKraker
A new animated Bible-based movie in on the way!
Titled LIGHT OF THE WORLD, the film will release Sept. 5, and its producer Brandon McPherson shared what makes the film different from other on-screen depictions of Jesus and His followers.
“So we’re a bit of a different breed,” he told Movieguide®’s Kaelii Williams. “We made this out of a nonprofit ministry instead of a for profit company,” he explained. “And so, everything from the very beginning of the production to the distribution and beyond is mission driven rather than profit driven.”
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The story mainly focuses on John the disciple’s point of view, who the movie portrays as a “young adolescent, which he likely was.”
“I mean, most scholars agree that probably most of the disciples were teenagers, not grown adults. And there’s actually some Scripture that point towards that,” McPherson said, explaining how the Bible says only Peter paid the temple tax, which happened when someone was 20.
He continued, “If you think about that, you know, Jesus and John were very close, and John leaned up against Jesus in the upper room. It’s kind of weird if you’re a 40-year-old man doing that, but if you’re a teenage kid, and this is like your father figure, it’s a very different relationship.”
McPherson explained how this was a relationship between a mentor and mentee, and that is how it is portrayed in the film.
“It changed how he was for the rest of his life,” McPherson said of John’s relationship with Jesus. “And then, you know, the trauma of losing that relationship, and everything that happened that is subsequently…we wanted to show that intimate point of view how this kid’s life was totally changed forever by this man who was the Messiah.”
LIGHT OF THE WORLD’s synopsis reads, “It’s AD 30 and everyone is expectantly awaiting the coming Messiah. While Jesus isn’t exactly what they imagined, there is something special about this man. Soon, John, James, Andrew, Peter, and their new friends begin to follow Jesus on an unexpected adventure.”
The description continues, “This beautiful, 2D-animated story of Jesus is told through the eyes of his beloved young friend, the Apostle John. From the beginning of Jesus’ ministry through his crucifixion and resurrection, LIGHT OF THE WORLD powerfully illustrates how Jesus of Nazareth changed the world forever and still changes lives today!”
LIGHT OF THE WORLD shared the trailer on Instagram, and people can’t wait.
“Making the disciples their actual age makes me so happy,” one user celebrated. Another person added, “The art style is phenomenal! I can’t wait!”
Tickets for the film are currently on sale on the LIGHT OF THE WORLD’s website. The film will only show in theaters Sept. 4-7.
Read Next: Is HOUSE OF DAVID Biblically Accurate?
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