The Chosen repeats a big Season 4 ‘mistake’ with Season 5 release dates

The Chosen Season 5 finally has a release date – in fact, it has multiple, but after Season 4’s divisive theatrical run, that’s part of the problem.

There’s a lot of anticipation for the fifth season of The Chosen, not least because it’s a pivotal chapter of Jesus’ story. It will chronicle the events of Holy Week and the chain reaction that leads to his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, setting up his crucifixion in Season 6.

However, while Season 4 was broadly well-received by fans, they had one big problem: its exclusive run in cinemas between February and March (plus an Easter weekend release) and the long wait for its debut on streaming.

If you were hoping Season 5 would be exclusive to streaming after this year’s debacle, I have bad news.

The Chosen Season 5 reveals divisive theatrical release dates

The Chosen

The Chosen Season 5 (titled ‘Last Supper’) will be released in cinemas in three parts during a four-week run, starting with Part 1 (Episodes 1-2) on March 27, 2025, in the US and Canada.

Viewers in other countries (the UK, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, India, etc) will need to wait until April 10, where cinemas are expected to have a similar release schedule. It’ll come to streaming later in 2025, but no specific date has been given.

In other words, if you’re in North America, you’ll be able to see The Chosen before anyone else… if you’re able to go to a movie theater.

The Chosen Season 5’s theatrical run is frustrating but necessary

The Chosen

It’s easy to see why people are annoyed. Until Season 4, The Chosen was always free to watch on the show’s official app and website (and Angel Studios, before their breakup). Now, if you want to watch it as soon as possible, you’ll need to fork out the money for tickets.

There’s another problem, too: those who see Season 5 in cinemas will want to discuss what happens in the new episodes, and spoilers will inevitably end up on the show’s subreddit and social media, ruining it for those who’ve either not caught it in theaters yet or fans who’d rather wait for it on streaming.

As one viewer wrote, “It was planned that everyone could see Season 5 at the same time. This is no longer the case and I admit that I am disappointed.”

“I’m trying to be okay with it because I know they do this for the funding of future seasons, but I hate the whole theatrical release thing. They should at least release it in the app a few days after the theater,” another user commented.

“Last time I wasn’t able to go to the theater for the first episodes and so I was by default not able to go to any of the rest. If I could have caught up in the app I would have loved to see the others in the theaters. I just think it could be handled better for the folks that can’t make it to the theaters but have supported monetarily from day one.”

However, there’s two things you need to consider. Firstly, The Chosen Season 4 was a hit at the box office, grossing over $30 million worldwide. That’s a lot for a TV show with limited screenings, and at the end of the day, it needs to make money somehow – why wouldn’t Dallas Jenkins want to replicate (or even exceed) his past success?

Secondly, The Chosen needs funding. Remember, as explained by Jenkins, less than 5% of the tens of millions who watch the series actually pay for it. Season 5 only made it into the black in August this year, and Seasons 6 and 7 are still millions of dollars away (Come and See, the non-profit organization backing the show, has committed to support the series’ production).

If you screen The Chosen in cinemas, fans will come – and that’s an impossible prospect to turn down. Unfortunately, if you’re among the unlucky viewers who can’t go to a movie theater, I’d advise you to mute any and all terms regarding the show and stay off social media as much as you can when Season 5 is in cinemas.

Until then, check out the show’s filming locations and our cast and character guide, and read our list of the best TV shows of 2024.