It’s a story nearly the whole world knows, with more than 2.2 billion people around the globe following the teachings and principles of Jesus of Nazareth. But the intimate historical details of his life and the political collusions that led to his brutal demise bring intriguing context to the familiar story.
This spring, National Geographic Channel’s KILLINGJESUS, produced by Scott Free Productions and based on the New York Times best-selling book by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard, dives deep inside the historical story of how Jesus’ message and preachings led to his persecution and execution by a group of conspirators who saw him as a threat to their power.
Stephen Moyer, as Pontius PIlate, approaching Jerusalem. (photo credit: National Geographic Channels/Kent Eanes)
KILLINGJESUS, a three-hour television event, will premiere on Palm Sunday, March 29, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on National Geographic Channel in the United States, globally in 171 countries in 45 languages and in Spanish on Nat Geo Mundo.
The film is the third collaboration between NGC, Scott Free and Bill O’Reilly, whose first two projects together, Emmy-nominated Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln are respectively the two most-watched programs in the network’s history.
Check out the trailer below.
Leading the cast are Kelsey Grammer (“Partners,” “Boss”) as King Herod the Great, the unrelenting and ambitious Roman-appointed King of Judea, who notoriously ordered the murder of all baby boys in Bethlehem, and Stephen Moyer (“True Blood”) as Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who ordered Jesus’ crucifixion.
Haaz Sleiman as Jesus of Nazareth in National Geographic Channel’s Killing Jesus. (photo credit: National Geographic Channels/Kent Eanes)
Haaz Sleiman (“The Visitor”) portrays the title character Jesus, with Rufus Sewell (“Hercules”) as Caiaphas, high priest of Jerusalem and conspirator in Jesus’s death; Emmanuelle Chriqui (“Entourage”) as Herodia, ex-wife of Herod II and wife of his brother Antipas, who manipulated her husband into having John the Baptist beheaded; Eoin Macken (“The Night Shift”) as Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea; John Rhys Davies (“Indiana Jones”) as Annas, a high priest in Jerusalem who first questioned Jesus and his teachings; Abhin Galeya as John the Baptist, who was considered a prophet and arrested and killed by Antipas; and Stephanie Leonidas (“Defiance”) as Salome, daughter of Herod II and Herodias, whose dancing led to the demise of John the Baptist.
Killing Jesus also stars Aneurin Barnard, Vernon Dobtcheff, Tamsin Egerton, John Lynch, Alexis Rodney and Chris Ryman from a script from Academy and Emmy Award-winning screenwriter Walon Green (“The Wild Bunch”), and directed by BAFTA Award-winner Chris Menaul (“The Passion of Ayn Rand,” “Fatherland”)
Brandon Jones - Writer and Co-Founder of The Global Dispatch, Brandon has been covering news, offering commentary for years, beginning professionally in 2003 on Crazed Fanboy before expanding into other blogs and sites.
Appearing on several radio shows, Brandon has hosted Dispatch Radio, written his first novel (The Rise of the Templar) and completed the three years Global University program in Ministerial Studies to be a pastor.
To Contact Brandon email [email protected] ATTN: BRANDON
[…] Kelsey Grammer (Herod the Great) and John Rhys-Davis (Annas) are barely onscreen and the remaining cast is adequate, but never given anything “meaty” for an actor to jump out to audiences. More on the cast and details – click here. […]
[…] Nat Geo details ‘Killing Jesus’ with Stephen Moyer, new trailer, art […]
[…] Kelsey Grammer (Herod the Great) and John Rhys-Davis (Annas) are barely onscreen and the remaining cast is adequate, but never given anything “meaty” for an actor to jump out to audiences. More on the cast and details – click here. […]