The Chosen has broken a major TV world record in a season 5 update, its release on a new app marking a historic moment for the Biblical series. The Chosen season 5 came out on Prime Video earlier this year, following the series’ release in theaters. The show is planned to run through season 7, chronicling Jesus’ New Testament journey.
Now, The Chosen season 5 has become the Guinness Book of World Records holder for the most-translated streaming TV series in history. The new season recently launched on The Chosen app, where it’s available in 36 dubbed languages and 50 subtitled languages. While some of these are also on Prime Video, it’s this release that makes the show a record-breaker.
What The Chosen’s Record-Breaking Translation Means For The Show
Still from The Chosen season 5
The Chosen’s multi-language output is thanks to the efforts of nonprofit organization the Come and See Foundation. Their vice president of marketing, Mike Kennedy, was celebratory about the record-shattering effort, but their work is far from done. The ultimate goal is for the series to be available in 600 languages, making it accessible to 95% of the world.
These efforts continue even as The Chosen season 6 is in production, hoping to release the penultimate season by 2026. The number of languages the series has been translated into so far is monumental, making the episodes available in some of the most common in the world. But this is just the start of the series’ translation ambition.
Given how The Chosen season 5’s release broke a record, the translators at Come and See have been very important to the series’ global reach. As of writing, the show has amassed over 280 million viewers in 175 countries, from its release on Prime Video to its previous availability on VidAngel. With two seasons left, this success will likely continue.
Our Take On The Chosen’s New World Record
Jesus looking shocked in The Chosen
The Chosen has always made accessibility an important part of its release. On its dedicated app, the series is watchable in 58 dubbed and 86 subtitled languages based on all five seasons. There’s a concentrated effort to making the show as available as possible, with ambitions that will nearly tenfold the number of available languages by the time they’re done.
Due to this dedication, it’s not a surprise The Chosen was able to earn recognition from the Guinness Book of World Records. The fact it’s not done, and may retain the record for good, signals how widely available the show has yet to become. But, with continued dedication, the series’ language diversity will likely remain a strong point.
The Chosen seasons 6 and 7 are in development.
Release Date
April 21, 2019
Network
Prime Video, VidAngel, Angel Studios, TheChosen.tv
Showrunner
Dallas Jenkins
Jonathan Roumie
Jesus of Nazareth
Elizabeth Tabish
Mary Magdalene / Lillith