The story of Jesus Christ’s life will be the subject of a new virtual reality film set for release this Christmas.
Jesus VR — The Story of Christ, a 90-minute film from Autumn Productions and virtual reality production company VRWERX, will be released this Christmas on all major virtual reality platforms, including Google Cardboard, Playstation VR and Oculus Rift, according to Variety.
The film hails from executive producer Enzo Sisti, who also produced The Passion of the Christ, The Young Messiah and the upcoming remake of Ben-Hur.
“The viewers truly feel they are there with Jesus and his disciples,” director David Hansen said in a statement. “This is the most powerful story of all time and virtual reality is the perfect way to tell it.”
The film was reportedly shot in October 2015 in the same location in Italy in which The Passion of the Christ was filmed. The film will reportedly guide viewers through Jesus’s entire life, from his baptism to his crucifixion.
The arrival of Jesus VR comes as faith-based movies have done increasingly solid business at the North American box office. Recent sleeper hits like God’s Not Dead and War Room drew significant Christian audiences, while Mark Burnett and Roma Downey’s upcoming Ben-Hur remake hopes to do the same later this summer.
“I am beyond thrilled to be a part of this groundbreaking project,” Sisti, who has also worked on films including The English Patient and The Avengers, said in a statement. “It’s as exciting a take on the story of Christ as I’ve ever seen and its production values will absolutely set a new benchmark for virtual reality.”
Virtual reality is edging its way into the mainstream Hollywood movie business. The Toronto International Film Festival will showcase a slate of VR films at its 2016 event, while Sony Pictures Entertainment announced this week the promotion of a company executive to senior vice president of virtual reality, who will oversee development of VR narrative content for the company.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum