Angel Studios’ ‘The King of Kings’ Retells Jesus’ Story Through Dickens’⁢ Eyes

⁤ ‍ LOS ANGELES (AP) — Angel ⁤Studios is set to release “The ⁣King of Kings” in theaters April 11, offering a fresh perspective on the life of Jesus Christ. the animated‍ film narrates the story‍ through the eyes of a child,drawing inspiration from the works of Charles Dickens.

‌ For South Korean director Jang-to-in and director ‍of photography/producer Woo-hyung Kim, the project represents an ‍effort ‌to connect with a global⁤ audience, notably in‍ an ⁢increasingly secular world, by conveying the ​message of Jesus’ love.
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Dickens’ Influence ‍on a Gospel Narrative

⁢ ⁤ jang, ⁤speaking through a translator, said ​his love for both movies and Charles Dickens’ books inspired the film. “I thoght it woudl be⁢ very original to talk about the history of Jesus through Charles Dickens,”‌ he ⁢said.
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‍ ⁢‍ ⁢ ‍ ⁣ ‌ This inspiration led Jang, making his feature film directorial debut, to adapt ​the Gospel narrative into animation, using Dickens’ literary style to guide the storytelling.
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“There is a lot of content that talks about the ⁣history of jesus, but transmitting those messages from the perspective of Charles Dickens seemed⁢ meaningful and unique,” Jang said.
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star-Studded cast and Musical Contributions

The animated film, ⁤which is set in Victorian‍ England, follows​ Dickens as he tells the story of Jesus to his son. The ⁣film boasts a cast of well-known voices, including Kenneth Branagh, ‌Uma Thurman, ⁣Pierce Brosnan, Mark Hamill, ‍Roman Griffin Davis, Forest Whitaker, Ben Kingsley, and⁢ Oscar Isaac.Kristin Chenoweth co-wrote and performs the film’s‍ closing song, ⁤”Live Like That.”
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Director’s Faith and Motivation

Jang, a Christian, said his faith played​ a significant role in his ⁤decision ⁤to direct the film.

⁢ ​ ​ “As a Christian, I was a little surprised that there ⁢were no ​animated‌ feature films that talk about the history of Jesus,” Jang ⁣said. “So it ‌was a great motivation ⁢for me.”
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Addressing Concerns in South Korea

‍ ⁤‍ ‍ Jang ​also noted that the film stemmed from concerns about his native South Korea.⁢ While the country has a sizable Christian population, church attendance among young people is declining, according to a Pew Research Center study.

‌ ​ “There are many Christians in Korea,” Jang said. “But simultaneously ‌occurring, ‌unfortunately, there are many people who⁢ oppose ‍the Korean christian population. And​ today,⁤ not many young people attend church.”
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‌ He views “The King of Kings” as a means of offering a message of hope and truth. ⁣”I thought someone who ⁣transmitted Jesus’ ​message was needed ⁢in the right way to all present,” he said.
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balancing Faith and‌ Production

⁤ ​ ‌ ‍ Jang acknowledged the need to‌ balance faith with the practical aspects of filmmaking. “Producing animation implies many aspects, and I know that it cannot be achieved alone with faith,” he said. “I ⁢must consider many aspects, ⁣including technicians and commercials.”
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Advanced Production Techniques

⁢ The production of “The King of Kings” relied heavily on advanced motion capture and virtual cinematography. Kim, who oversaw both production and cinematography,⁣ described the process as complex and demanding.
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​ “First we⁣ hire the actors and then capture the movements,” Kim explained.”And once⁣ finished, I entered⁣ the virtual world ⁢with my virtual chamber and made ⁣the camera movements again and again.”
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​ Voice performances and ⁢facial expressions were‌ recorded separately and integrated into the animation. ⁢”It’s not like real action movies. It simply ‍happens gradually, step by step,”⁢ Kim said. “Basically, it is not a simple process.”
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⁣ ‍ ‌ Kim said the goal was to create a film that felt like more than just animation. Jang added, “I wanted the public​ to⁤ feel this movie, obviously as an animation,⁢ but also​ as⁢ a conventional film.”
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Creative and Technical Challenges

‌ Both Jang ⁤and Kim highlighted specific scenes that presented unique challenges.
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Kim cited a storm ⁣scene as particularly challenging. “It was technically difficult as we‍ first did it⁣ about five years ago…seven years ago,” he said.
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⁤ At that time, the team lacked the virtual production tools they later utilized. “Everything had to become digitally: the camera movement, the performance and‌ the voice,” he explained.⁣ They​ afterward rebuilt the ‍scene​ with improved tools but had to remain faithful to the ‍original version.”it was technically a challenge,”​ Kim⁤ said.
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⁣ ‌ ⁤ ⁤ Jang mentioned a more subtle scene: Charles Dickens walking ​up‍ the stairs to tell his son a story.

⁤ “People may⁣ be surprised by​ this,” Jang said.‌ “The scene needed to establish the relationship between Charles Dickens and his⁣ wife. And simultaneously occurring, Dickens must have been persuaded to tell his son the story. It​ was very vital to express that emotional connection inside the short scene.”
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⁣ ⁣ He said the challenge was conveying these ⁤nuances to the ​animators.⁢ “It was a challenge for me as ​a director.”

Hopes for the Film

‍‍ Kim expressed a simple hope: “I always want this film to be ⁤projected ⁤by ‍as many spectators as possible.”
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⁢ ⁢ ⁤ Jang hopes⁢ viewers will⁢ leave⁣ with ​an understanding of ⁣the Gospel message. “This whole project began with the idea of‌ extracting only one word from the entire‍ Bible,” he said. “I thought that was love. Jesus is love.”
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‌ ⁣ “I want⁤ you to feel that the reason for your ⁢sacrifice ​is your love for us,” Jang added. “That is the message that I want the⁢ audience to⁢ take home after seeing this.”
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