Mark Burnett and Roma Downey are interested in putting together a sequel to the hit mini-series The Bible, and the prolific producers have already found a network for the project. On Monday, NBC announced it had signed on for A.D.: Beyond the Bible, the follow-up project that will follow the years after the death of Jesus Christ.
Just like History’s The Bible, Downey and Burnett will be executive producing the series, along with Richard Bedser. This time the TV project will be a co-production between LightWorkers Media, Hearst Productions and Universal Television. Honestly, NBC should be a good fit for a project like A.D.: Beyond the Bible. While History’s miniseries was often praised for its appealing narrative, its scenescapes and cinematography were less well-liked. Perhaps NBC Universal will be able to throw more money behind the epic project, this time around.
Despite its flaws, The Bible managed to crush on the History Channel, pulling in 14.8 million total viewers during its first evening on the air. Additionally, the series had done quite well in Blu-ray and DVD sales, managing to move over a million copies in just three months.
NBC’s president of entertainment, Bob Greenblatt, said in a press release that he feels as if the follow-up project is a good way for the network to continue a partnership with Burnett, but also a great way to tell a fascinating story.
“I followed the development process of The Bible closely with Mark and knew that the story was far from over after Christ’s Crucifixion. In fact, what happened in the aftermath – which is essentially the beginning of Christianity – is utterly fascinating. The day after The Bible premiered, I told Mark we were on board with no hesitation for the follow-up miniseries. This will be attention-getting in every way, and we’re proud to continue our association with Mark which has just grown exponentially from The Voice.
With the success of The Bible, there’s reason to believe Burnett’s follow-up will garner just as much interest as its sister mini-series. Still, it's a little early to tell whether or not this one will be a winner. Currently, all of the details haven’t been worked out regarding the new project, which Burnett says will tell a story “that changed the world.” No doubt a project following the early rise of Christianity will be a fascinating portrayal and one that is full of some strong moments and others that are full of heartbreak. I’m just hoping that Burnett and co. will work on that title a little bit. Until then, you can catch the trailer for the original series, The Bible, below.
