During last month’s “Chosen Con” event in Orlando, more than 5,000 fans of the massive show got a sneak peek at the newest spinoff of the series, “The Chosen Adventures,” an animated show for children featuring biblical characters. Under the supervision of “The Chosen” creator Dallas Jenkins and the direction of showrunner Ryan Swanson, the 14-episode series is scheduled to premiere next year.

“’The Chosen Adventures’ is going to appeal to kids even more so than the mothership show,” Jenkins said.

While the series is written to appeal to children, the creators believe it will expand beyond its intended audience and be a favorite of all ages; “We wanted to make sure that parents weren’t rolling their eyes as their kids were watching. When my kids were growing up, there were certain shows and even movies where we sat down with them because we knew we were going to have a good time too. So, we really made sure that this show was for them as well.”

During a live stream presentation during the conference, Jenkins brought Derral Eaves, executive producer of “The Chosen,” onstage and credited him with the initial inspiration and drive to make the new series happen. Eaves explained it was the shooting of the third episode of the first season, where Jesus interacted with children, that placed the idea in his heart.

“I was seeing something I’ve never seen before, which is Jesus interacting authentically with kids,” he said. “And I’m like, ‘Man, this generation needs Jesus. He needs what Jesus taught over 2,000 years ago. And for me, it’s been on my heart, literally, for our kids and future grandkids . . . it’s just that’s the world needs it right now.”

“The Chosen Adventures” follows nine-year-old Abby in the Galilean city of Capernaum, circa 30 CE. Inquisitive young Abby is bursting at the seams with questions and feels she doesn’t have the kinds of answers she’s looking for. When she and her best friend, Joshua, meet Jesus, will all that change? The 14-episode animated series features the voice talents of Emmy® winner Paul Walter Hauser (“Black Bird,” “I, Tonya”), Emmy® nominee Yvonne Orji (“Insecure”) and two-time GRAMMY®-nominated artist Jordin Sparks, as well cast members from “The Chosen,” including Jonathan Roumie, Paras Patel, Elizabeth Tabish, Noah James, Joey Vahedi, Yasmine Al-Bustami, Brandon Potter and George H. Xanthis.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Paul, Yvonne, and Jordin into “The Chosen” family as we continue to produce more incredible content for our fans,” said Ryan Swanson, Creator/Executive Producer of “The Chosen Adventures” and Executive Producer of “The Chosen.” “We were surprised and encouraged to discover that children have been watching ‘The Chosen’ alongside their parents, so we wanted to continue the family co-viewing experience by creating an animated series that is full of humor, heartfelt life lessons, and loveable characters.”

Swanson, who calls himself a “lifelong animated watcher,” says that even though the goal will be to capture kid’s imaginations, the ultimate purpose is much more serious.

“None of it matters if we’re not connecting with kids with Word,” he said. “So Jesus is a central character in the show. He, as Jonathan just explained (in the promo video) is a teacher figure. But these kids are doing relatable kid things.”

In episodes, viewers will see young Abby going to synagogue, being bored when her parents are busy, and taking a boat out on the water without supervision.

“Some of these things that we can relate to now we imagine Abby could relate to 2000 years ago,” Swanson said.

Jenkins added, “We cover some of the Bible stories from the Gospels, obviously, and the kids interact and engage in those stories, but also showing them biblical truths, biblical concepts that you as a parent or as a grandparent are going to actually be proud to show to your kids, and maybe in a way that they might not fully understand in our current show. This is going to be even more palatable, more relatable to kids, and we’re going to see Jesus through the eyes of the childlike faith that He actually wants us adults to have. And so that’s the beauty and the joy of the show.”

In addition to “The Chosen Adventures,” additional spinoffs announced at the convention include a three-season series following Moses’ story, a limited series featuring the life of Joseph, and the next chapter following The Chosen with “The Acts of the Apostles.” Click below for a preview of the new series.

DEWAYNE HAMBY has covered faith-based music, movies, television, books, and the retail industry for more than 30 years. He is a film member of the Critics Choice Association and the author of the book Gratitude Adjustment. Connect with him at on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or InstaGram.