Airdate: Killing Jesus

National Geographic will air its distinctly-titled telemovie Killing Jesus on Good Friday.

Based on book by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard, the three hour drama follows the events leading up to the death of Jesus of Nazareth.

With a cast including Kelsey Grammer, Stephen Moyer, Rufus Sewell, Haaz Sleiman and Australian Dan Mor, the project follows from similarly-titled dramas Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln, all produced by Scott Free Productions.

Jesus of Nazareth’s (Haaz Sleiman) life and ministry triggered seismic social and political events that
ultimately led to his death and changed the world forever. Jesus lived at a time when the Roman Empire dominated the Western world, and he made powerful enemies while preaching a radical philosophy of redemption. Today, more than 2.2 billion people follow his teachings, but few know the political machinations behind his death.

Supposedly born during an auspicious astronomical event, Jesus of Nazareth was targeted from infancy. King Herod the Great (Kelsey Grammer), the ruler of Israel appointed by Caesar Augustus in Rome, sends mercenaries to hunt down all male infants under the age of 2, haunted by the belief that his throne will one day be usurped by a prophesied messiah, a “King of the Jews” born during this celestial alignment, but Jesus and his family have already escaped.

Moving 26 years into the future, we follow Jesus as he starts to develop and spread his message and begins to amass a following of devout believers. Seeking out John the Baptist (Abhin Galeya), Jesus
is baptized and ventures into the desert for 40 days and nights. Spies employed by the Temple high priests who enforce Jewish law, the Sanhedrin, maintain a close watch on John the Baptist as a rabble-rouser/troublemaker who threatens their power.

For many years Jesus preaches quietly, gathering devout followers like Simon/Peter (Alexis Rodney), Mary Magdalene (Klara Issova) and the one who will eventually betray him, Judas (Joe Doyle). His speeches, to which ever-growing crowds flock, and bold actions, including a confrontation in the Temple of Jerusalem, bring him to the attention of powerful enemies.

Those who begin to watch him as a potential rebel include Roman Governor Pontius Pilate (Stephen Moyer); tetrarch (ruler) of Galilee, Antipas (Eoin Macken); high priest of the Sanhedrin, Caiaphas (Rufus Sewell); and Caiaphas’ father-in-law and fellow member of the wealthy Jewish priestly sect, Annas (John Rhys Davies). They believe Jesus is an agitator, a false teacher and dangerous figure.

These parties begin to plot extreme measures to solve the Jesus problem, but they have to catch him breaking Jewish law first.

Friday 3 April at 7.30pm AEST on National Geographic Channel