For decades, religious TV had a bit of a PR problem. Say “faith-based show,” and people instantly thought of stiff dialogue, preachy sermons disguised as drama, or bargain-bin Bible reenactments. Then The Chosen came along and flipped the script. Suddenly, biblical storytelling looked less like Sunday school and more like Breaking Bad with sandals. Jesus laughs, his disciples bicker, and viewers get a prestige drama that doesn’t feel like homework. Now, Prime Video and 5&2 Studios are expanding that universe. Cameras are rolling in New Mexico on Joseph of Egypt, an eight-episode miniseries from The Chosen executive producer Dallas Jenkins and Greenleaf creator Craig Wright. And yes, we already know who’s donning the technicolor dreamcoat.
Adam Hashmi (Bridgerton, Criminal Record) takes the lead as Joseph. He’s joined by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine legend Alexander Siddig, who plays Jacob, Joseph’s father. Fun trivia: Siddig once played the angel Gabriel in The Nativity Story (2006), so biblical casting is basically part of his skill set. Shani Atias (The Pitt) steps in as Rachel, Joseph’s mother, while her real-life sister Moran Atias (Tyrant) plays Bilhah, Rachel’s servant-turned-concubine. Yes, the Atias sisters are playing the two women who literally shared a husband in the Old Testament.
Other cast highlights include Iris Bahr (Svetlana) as Leah, Jacob’s first wife, and Necar Zadegan (Mayor of Kingstown) as Zilpah. Then come Joseph’s brothers: Daniel Peera (The Cleaning Lady) as Reuben, Babak Tafti (Succession) as Simeon, Siya Maleki (The Bones Exist) as Levi, and Amir Malaklou (The Old Man) as Judah. The rest of Jacob’s sprawling family tree is still a mystery. There’s no word yet on Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, or young Benjamin. And while Genesis 34 features Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, the series might skip her entirely. Still, past adaptations like 2014’s The Red Tent found ways to connect Dinah and Joseph, so who knows?
Tannaz Shastiri (Hacks) joins as Eliuram, a character pulled from midrashic texts, not the Bible. Whether the series explores Reuben’s scandalous storyline (he slept with his father’s concubine in Genesis 35:22) is another question. And, of course, the roles of Pharaoh, Potiphar, and the infamous Mrs. Potiphar haven’t been revealed yet.
So when will you actually get to watch it? Jenkins has teased that Joseph of Egypt will land before The Chosen Season 7, which isn’t dropping until 2028. That’s a long wait, but with Season 6 currently wrapping filming, fans won’t be left starving in the wilderness.
Meanwhile, The Chosen Season 5 is streaming on Prime Video right now. While it held the top spot for weeks, it’s since been bumped down to #10 by Ballard (a Bosch: Legacy spin-off with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score).
Faith-based projects aren’t niche anymore. Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ made $610 million back in 2004, and he’s gearing up for a sequel, The Resurrection of the Christ, with Jim Caviezel returning. With The Chosen and now Joseph of Egypt, religious drama isn’t just surviving. It’s thriving.
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