By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Christian Post. (image credit: The Salvation Project)
A new animated film about the life of Jesus is slated to hit theaters this fall, with its creators aiming to combine biblical accuracy, artistic quality and broad family appeal.
“Light of the World,” a 2D hand-drawn feature, is told through the eyes of the Apostle John and seeks to offer a fresh take on one of the most well-known stories in history.
Set for a nationwide release on Sept. 5, the film was produced by Brennan McPherson, president of The Salvation Poem Project, and directed by John J. Schafer (“Superbook”) alongside Tom Bancroft (“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King”).
“John was the only apostle present at the crucifixion, and he was likely the youngest,” McPherson told The Christian Post during a sit-down conversation at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention. “That gave us a natural way to present the story through a relatable teenage perspective without compromising historical plausibility.”
Rather than following the trend of CGI animation, the team behind “Light of the World” chose traditional 2D hand-drawn animation, a choice they said was deliberate for both artistic and symbolic reasons.
The visual style, Schafer noted, was designed to appeal across generations, particularly for families looking for content that’s both visually engaging and spiritually grounded.