Animated film · 2025
The King of Kings
An animated film in which Charles Dickens tells his young son Walter the story of Jesus, based on Dickens's The Life of Our Lord. Walter and his cat follow the events from the manger to the Resurrection; Oscar Isaac voices Jesus and Kenneth Branagh voices Dickens.
Facts
About The King of Kings
- Directed by Seong-ho Jang, who co-wrote it with Rob Edwards; released by Angel Studios.12
- Voices: Oscar Isaac (Jesus), Kenneth Branagh (Charles Dickens), Uma Thurman (Catherine Dickens), Pierce Brosnan (Pilate), Mark Hamill (Herod), Ben Kingsley (Caiaphas), Roman Griffin Davis (Walter).21
- Dickens wrote The Life of Our Lord for his children in the 1840s; it was published only in 1934.1
- The film reaches back to the Garden of Eden and the crossing of the Red Sea to set Jesus' life within the history of salvation.12
- Rated PG; OSV News classification A-I (general patronage).1
- The BBFC lists 103 minutes 37 seconds for the cinema version.3
At a glance
| Type | Film |
|---|---|
| Year | 2025 |
| Directed by | Seong-ho Jang |
| Studio | Angel Studios |
| Running time | 1 h 44 min (cinema version) |
Where to watch in the US
Scenes
The Bible behind the scenes
For each scene: what the production shows, the Bible passages it is based on and what it adds to the Gospels. Each reference links to the chapter in the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
Compare scenes withThe ChosenJesus of NazarethThe PassionNativity Story
| Scene | What the film shows | Bible | What the film adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| The birth of Jesus Compare the Gospels → | Shown The manger is among the scenes Walter witnesses.24 | Lk 2:1–7 | – |
| Flight to Egypt and the massacre of the infants Compare the Gospels → | Age-appropriate Herod's massacre of the infants is handled in an age-appropriate way.14 | Mt 2:16–18 | – |
| The temptation in the desert Compare the Gospels → | Shown Satan tempts Jesus.234 | Mt 4:1–11 | – |
| The woman caught in adultery | Shown Jesus stops a crowd from stoning a woman caught in adultery.134 | Jn 8:1–11 | – |
| The agony in the garden Compare the Gospels → | Shown Walter follows Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane.24 | Mt 26:36–46 | – |
| The arrest Compare the Gospels → | Shown Judas betrays Jesus; a soldier's ear is cut off with a sword, and Jesus heals it.234 | Lk 22:47–51 | – |
| Peter's denial Compare the Gospels → | Shown Peter denies Jesus.24 | Lk 22:54–62 | – |
| The scourging and the crown of thorns | Shown Jesus is whipped and made to wear the crown of thorns.34 | Jn 19:1–3 | – |
| The crucifixion Compare the Gospels → | Brief A brief view of the crucifixion, with Jesus nailed to the cross.314 | Lk 23:33–43 | – |
| The Resurrection | Told Reviews list the Resurrection among the events Dickens recounts, without describing the scene.12 | cf. Mt 28:1–7 | – |
Bible Behind the Screen is independent and not affiliated with the makers or the distributors of this production. We describe it in our own words and show no clips, stills, posters or photos of actors.
Sources
- OSV News, John Mulderig: Movie review: The King of Kings, April 22, 2025 (via Catholic Review) (checked on October 21, 2026)
- National Catholic Register, Kathy Schiffer: Animation Brings Dickens-Inspired 'The King of Kings' to Life on the Big Screen, April 11, 2025 (checked on October 21, 2026)
- BBFC: The King of Kings (2025), classification and content advice (checked on October 21, 2026)
- New American Bible, Revised Edition (USCCB): Bible references (checked on October 21, 2026)
Bible references follow the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), the Catholic Bible translation of the U.S. bishops. We give the references and sum up the passages in our own words; each reference links to the full text on the bishops' website. Found a mistake? Write to us at hello@biblebehindthescreen.com.
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