_1.jpg)
A brand-new animated film called Light of the World is set to hit theatres this fall and move hearts, depicting the life of Jesus.
"It's a reimaging of telling the life story of Jesus through the eyes of a young disciple, John," says John Schafer, the director of Light of the World. "It's a fresh take on it. We made this movie for everyone, but we wrote it mind for people who may not have a concept of Jesus or the Bible."
The film is set to hit theatres on Sept. 5, 2025. It was animated in 2D style on purpose, to give the feel of a 90s classic Disney film.
"We thought, if we're going to retell this story, let's tell it in a medium that we all love. My co-director, Tom Bancroft, and his twin brother, Tony, they're Disney legends. Creating Mushu, creating Pumba, and Kronk. Tony was one of the co-directors of Mulan."
The retelling is through the young disciple John's eyes. According to Schafer, John would have been in his teen years during the time he followed Jesus.
"We really felt strongly that we felt it had to be a disciple, because that would draw credibility to the story. We thought if we went with the youngest, John, as he's learning about this Messiah and becoming friends with this Messiah, the audience is discovering it at the same time."
The film is primarily based on narratives from the Gospel of John, with additional stories drawn from other Gospels. It took the team almost four years from start to finish.
"I hope that people who go see this movie because they're familiar with the story, that they take a friend or family member that they might not feel comfortable sharing the gospel with. We really hope that people discover that Jesus is their friend."
Tickets are available for pre-sale and can be found here.