PROVO, Utah (BP) – A few years after Charles Dickens wrote perhaps his most popular book, “A Christmas Carol,” he compiled the long-unpublished work, “The Life of Our Lord,” as a personal gift to his children.
Adapted from the Gospel of Luke, “The Life of Our Lord” chronicles Jesus’ life from birth to death to resurrection. As the story goes, Dickens would read it to his children each Christmas season, but it was not published until 1934, decades after the author’s death and a year after his last surviving child died.
This Easter, Angel Studios brings to life an animated tale of Jesus’ birth, burial and resurrection – “King of Kings,” told from the vantage point of Dickens sharing “The Life of Our Lord” with his son Walter.
The project, opening in theaters April 11 with a PG rating because of the turmoil inherent to the story, has been “a passion project” for King of Kings Director Seong-ho Jang for nearly a decade, he said when Angel Studios announced the project.
“I am so excited to bring it to the world, and Angel is the ideal partner to take this film to the market on a global scale,” he said of the partnership with Blue Harbor Entertainment, its original distributor.
Angel Studios President Jordan Harmon expressed excitement over the upcoming release.
“It’s been almost 30 years since the Prince of Egypt came out. That was the last time there was a major theatrical release for an animated biblical movie,” Harmon said in a King of Kings trailer. “This movie tells the story of Jesus’ life from the perspective of Charles Dickens. It’s not only an artistic masterpiece with an unbelievable cast, but it’s a movie that is true to the Bible.”
The journey of faith through the eyes of a child, so fascinated with the story that he inserts himself into the scenes along with his father and cat Willa, is told by award-winning actors who lend their voices for narration and song.
Kristin Chenoweth sings the original song “Live Like That,” with Academy Award winners Forest Whitaker voicing Peter, Sir Ben Kingsley as High Priest Caiaphas and Kenneth Branagh as Charles Dickens. The award-winning voice actors also include Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan, Oscar Isaac, Mark Hamill and Roman Griffin Davis as Walter Dickens.
King of Kings “will absolutely bring Easter to life for your family,” Harmon said.