The viral sensation series The Chosen is coming back to theaters. Nearly one year after a Christmas special set box-office records, The Chosen will hit theaters on Friday, November 18, with the debut of Season 3, episodes 1 and 2.

Last year the holiday-themed Christmas with the Chosen grossed more than $14 million during its run – a record for its distributor, Fathom – and also broke the Fathom record for out-of-the-gate ticket sales (for the first 12 hours). Ticket sales were so impressive that the film’s theater run was extended.

“The Christmas special showed us that we do have a place in the theatrical realm,” said Katherine Warnock, head of original content for The Chosen. We did not expect the Christmas special to perform to the degree that it did.”

The success of the Christmas special, she added, demonstrated that fans enjoy watching The Chosen on the big screen.

“It was wonderful to go, okay, there’s a hunger for not only faith content in the theatrical space, but there’s a hunger for The Chosen here to cross over,” she added. It will be the first time a Chosen film has debuted on the weekend.

“We are excited,” said Adam Swerdlow, chief operating officer of The Chosen. After their theatrical debut, episodes 1 and 2 will move to The Chosen app in December, said, director Dallas Jenkins. The Bible-based series tells the story of Jesus and the disciples. It has been viewed by an estimated 94.8 million people worldwide.

Warnock said the series’ depiction of the humanity of Christ is one of the secrets to its success. “He dances, He laughs, He tells jokes, He blows raspberries. This season, we’ll see him play sports,” she said. The series, she added, explores the question of: “What did it mean to be fully God, fully holy … but also fully embracing of the mess of humanity?”

The series is scheduled for seven seasons. It is crowdfunded and available to watch for free on The Chosen app. The multi-season television series about Jesus and his disciples might be the most popular Bible-based media project in modern entertainment history. It’s the most popular Bible-based series in recent years.

Season 3 was the first season filmed at the series’ new 900-acre permanent home in Texas, near Midlothian just outside of Dallas. The film campus includes an authentic-looking first-century village (Matthew’s home is the largest home of the disciples), a 30,000-square-foot soundstage (a football field could nearly fit inside), offices, and a lake.

The new campus was built in partnership with the Salvation Army and its Camp Hoblitzelle, an adjacent property. Up until Season 3, The Chosen “didn’t really have a home,” said Brad Fogarty, a crewmember. If you’re curious about how the series impacts the world, visit the community portion of The Chosen app. There, people from around the world share their thoughts each day. “It has been such a blessing for me,” a fan from Mexico wrote recently.

Amber Shana Williams, who plays Tamar, said her brother was working at his job at a home appliance store when a customer started a conversation about The Chosen. The customer’s favorite episode was one with Williams.