‘The Bible’ Sequel, ‘A.D.: Beyond The Bible,’ To Air On NBC

A.D.: Beyond the Bible, a sequel to the History Channel’s The Bible miniseries, will air on NBC and follow Christianity after the death of Jesus Christ.

Husband and wife producer team Mark Burnett and Roma Downey will once again be behind the biblical project. Burnett, who has produced NBC’s The Voice and Celebrity Apprentice, already has a clear idea in mind for A.D.: Beyond the Bible. “It will begin in the dark days after Jesus’ betrayal and death. A perfect storm brews in the Holy Land, fueled by social injustice, Roman military oppression and religious unrest. High priests and the Herod dynasty vie for power," said Burnett. Zealot revolutionaries turn to violence to regain what they believe is their promised land.

“And in the face of terrible odds and brutal persecution, the small band of Jesus’ disciples stand against the combined might of Rome and their own local authorities. In a generation of rebellion, war, famine, and carnage, who can they trust? Who should they fear? Will tomorrow bring a violent death? For many, it does … but others survive, and as the storm around them breaks, the fate of Israel, of Rome and of their faith is decided.”

NBC was wise to scoop up the sequel miniseries to Burnett and Downey’s The Bible, as the show’s Easter Sunday finale yielded 11.7 million viewers for the niche network. Overcoming the skepticism of early critics, the 10-hour miniseries also became the fasting-selling unit of its kind on home video ever – selling 525,000 in its first week of availability.

Bob Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment said in a statement, “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.” Greenblatt also revealed that he, “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.”

A.D: Beyond the Bible’s expected airdate and casting has yet to be announced.

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