The Chosen Adventures is doing more than just spreading the message of Jesus this week; it’s climbing the Amazon Prime Video charts (via FlixPatrol). In its first few days on the platform, the animated spin-off of The Chosen has already reached number seven, sitting comfortably above From, House of David, and even The Chosen itself. Yes, the student just outperformed the teacher.
Created by writer, director, and executive producer Ryan Swanson, The Chosen Adventures takes the story of Jesus and filters it through the eyes of two curious nine-year-olds, Abby and Joshua. It’s a smart approach, which focuses less on sermons and more on storytime.
So, where did the idea come from? Swanson says it actually started on the set of The Chosen in Midlothian, Texas. “Fortunately, we have this episode in season one where we have these two little kids who run into Jesus in their play space. And we were shocked to hear from parents and grandparents that their kids were pressing to play on an episode of The Chosen, which is something we never really imagined.”
Swanson said that moment sparked something bigger. “We show his humanity and his love for kids,” he explained. “It started a conversation between Derral (Eves), Dallas (Jenkins) and me about kids’ programming and what we felt was missing from our experience.”
That conversation eventually turned into a 14-episode animated series that mixes humor, faith, and heartfelt lessons without the heavy hand. The show introduces Abby (voiced by Romy Fay), a curious and outspoken “little keg of dynamite,” and Joshua (Jude Zarzaur), her thoughtful best friend and the youngest of eight brothers. They meet Jesus of Nazareth (reprised by Jonathan Roumie) in the ancient city of Capernaum and learn that faith isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions.
And because this is The Chosen universe, the voice cast should be familiar to audiences. Also, Emmy winner Paul Walter Hauser plays the talking Sheep; Yvonne Orji plays Pigeon; Jordin Sparks plays Fish; and the original Chosen actors, including Elizabeth Tabish, Paras Patel, and Noah James, reprise their roles in animated form.
According to Swanson, early test screenings were very positive. “The test screenings have been incredibly humbling,” he said. “Families and kids are enjoying the shows, relating as we hoped they would. Early results are really promising.”
Now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, The Chosen Adventures is already turning little and big hearts.
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