Lionsgate & Kingdom Story Company Team With ‘The Chosen’ Creator Dallas Jenkins For ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’, 2024 Theatrical Release Planned
10.11.2023 - 17:09
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: In a competitive situation, Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company have nabbed The Best Christmas Pageant ever which The Chosen creator/producer/director Dallas Jenkins will direct and adapt from Barbara Robinson’s comedic family book and play. Cameras roll next month in Canada for a 2024 holiday theatrical release.
Jenkins pursued a 15-year journey to secure the rights to The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, rights which have been stewarded by Darin McDaniel, Chet Thomas, and Gerald R. Molen. The book has sold over 7M copies since it was published in 1972.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever centers on the Herdmans – absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. But this Christmas, they’re taking over their local church Pageant – and they just might unwittingly teach a shocked community the true meaning of Christmas.
The production builds on the strong partnership between Kingdom and Lionsgate; companies’ most recent movie, Jesus Revolution, grossing over $50M back in the spring. Their next film, Ordinary Angels, starring Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson, is set for release Feb. 23, 2024, followed by Unsung Hero, starring for King + Country’s Joel Smallbone and Daisy Betts set for release April 26, 2024.
Lionsgate acquired the global television distribution rights to The Chosen earlier this year and has already secured licensing deals for the series with Peacock, The CW, and Amazon, where it has been a top 10 series since the launch of Season 3 earlier this year. The highly anticipated fourth season will debut next February.
Jenkins today released a video in which he tells fans the full story of his commitment to the project, why it means so much to him, and how he got to be the one to make the movie:
“T