The Bible is getting a sequel. No, not that Bible, the other one. The mini-series, not the book. NBC announced today that they were partnering with Mark Burnett and his wife Roma Downey to produce a sequel to the extremely popular History Channel mini-series The Bible, which aired this past spring.
The new mini-series has a working title of A.D.: After the Bible. According to NBC’s statement, it will pick up right where the first series left off, starting with the immediate aftermath of the resurrection of Jesus. The series will explore the origins of Christianity and the struggles faced by Jesus’ followers as they tried to survive amid growing hostilities between the Jews and the Roman Empire – hostilities that would ultimately lead to two major wars in the century after Jesus’ death.
Despite The Bible’s initial run on cable, producer Mark Burnett is no stranger to network television. He has produced numerous shows over the course of his career, usually reality or game shows. He is perhaps best known for his work on the long-running reality show Survivor, as well as his work on The Celebrity Apprentice and The Voice, both of which air on NBC.
Burnett’s wife and co-producer, Roma Downey, has had a long career on stage and television. She is perhaps best known for her role in the ’90s family drama Touched By An Angel. She played Jesus’ mother Mary in The Bible. There is no word on whether she will act in the sequel.
No potential air date has been announced for A.D.: Beyond the Bible, nor is there any information on how many episodes there will be. Given the subject matter, it’s likely that the network will shoot for an air date near a major Christian holiday. The Bible began airing on March 3rd of this year, and ended on Easter Sunday, March 31st.