If 2014’s Son of God didn’t scratch your itch for religious films, get your rosary ready: The messiah will return this Christmas in a whole new format.
Jesus Christ will make his virtual reality debut in Jesus VR — The Story of Christ, set for a December 2016 release. The 90-minute film, created by Autumn Productions and VR production company VRWERX, will reach audiences on all major devices, including Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, the HTC Vive, and more.
World-renowned executive producer Enzo Sisti will helm the project, and it isn’t his first go-around depicting Christ in film. He worked on Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ in 2004 and will bring along Father William Fulco, who also worked on Passion, as a religious adviser.
Variety reports that the film was shot in October 2015 “entirely in 360-degree 4K video on location in Matera, Italy, the ancient village that was also the setting for The Passion of the Christ. Producers promise a you-are-there VR experience for the entirety of Jesus’ life and death, from his baptism to the Sermon on the Mount, and from the Last Supper to his crucifixion.”
That’s a lot of biblical action to fit into 90 minutes, so expect a more immersive perspective rather than the fully fledged plot that has been explored in previous Jesus-based projects.
Director and producer David Hansen said in a statement that “the viewers truly feel they are there with Jesus and his disciples. This is the most powerful story of all time and virtual reality is the perfect way to tell it.”
Sisti added in a separate statement that he was thrilled to be included on the project, which is “as exciting a take on the story of Christ as I’ve seen and its production values will absolutely set a new benchmark for virtual reality.”
