Netflix Picks Up 'Messiah' Religious Drama With Modern-Day Jesus Christ for 10 Episodes
Netflix signed up the new religious drama, "Messiah," from executive producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey and show creator Michael Petroni. The series will feature 10 episodes of a modern-day Jesus Christ who lives among the regular folks.
"Messiah" will open with Jesus' alleged second coming. A man rises from the Middle East who claims he's the Savior promised in the Scriptures.
The show will be told from different point of views that delve into the validity of Jesus. It will also reflect on geopolitical issues and depict the moves that the government or the media will take to handle and cover Jesus' emergence.
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"'Messiah' promises to be a fascinating series for viewers of every faith, and a thrilling drama filled with multilayered characters set on a global stage," Netflix executive Cindy Holland said in a statement. The streaming site initially discussed the series' development with the producers and showrunner back in March.
It's not the first time Petroni brought a religions drama on television. He co-created "Miracles," which ran on ABC in 2003 and starred Skeet Ulrich and Angus Macfadyen. The show centered on an investigator of unexplained phenomenon in the present day.
Burnett, who's famous for producing shows like "Survivor" and "The Apprentice," explored bringing religious-themed shows with his wife, Downey, in 2013. They came up with "The Bible," which ran on the History Channel and received Emmy citations. It was followed up by "Son of God" and "A.D. The Bible Continues" on NBC.
Downey, on the other hand, is best known for her work as the angel Monica in the feel-good religious series "Touched by an Angel." The show aired on CBS from 1994 to 2003. She and her husband own Light TV, a 24-hour network featuring family and faith programs.
Netflix plans to launch "Messiah" on its platform in 2019. Casting announcements for the series will eventually follow now that the episode orders have been settled.
