NBC moves ahead with ‘AD Beyond the Bible’ a sequel to the TV hit ‘The Bible’
Premiering to 13.1 million viewers, the 10-hour miniseries The Bible was a smash hit for the History Channel, but NBC is ensuring that won’t happen again. The network announced that it has greenlit the sequel, A.D.: Beyond the Bible after purchasing the rights this summer.
“We are firmly in the ‘event’ business and nothing has more event potential than ‘A.D.’ as it continues immediately after the ‘The Bible’ ended,” NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt said in a statement.
“Everyone’s lives were completely altered in an instant and the immediate aftermath of Christ’s death had an impact on his disciples, his mother Mary, and key political and religious leaders of the time,” NBC president Jennifer Salke added. “In the first episode alone you see the last moments of the Crucifixion, Judas taking his own life after betraying Christ, Peter denying Jesus three times, and then the miracle of the Resurrection.”
The husband-and-wife team of Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, who created and produced The Bible, are on board for the sequel as well.
The couple said in a statement, “It is the story that changed the world. Millions have died for it and billions live by it. We know that an enormous community will be counting the days until ‘A.D.’ premieres. We look forward to making this an epic global television event.”
