Watch: The first full trailer for Zero A.D.
The film stars Deva Cassel as Mary, Gael García Bernal as her father, Sam Worthington as Antipater, Ben Mendelsohn as the Devil, and Jim Caviezel as Herod.
Another year, another Nativity movie. And it looks like Zero A.D.—which comes to theatres December 19—could be the most epic one we’ve seen yet.
Angel Studios released a new trailer for the film yesterday, and it’s full of impressive images. It’s too early to say what the writing or performances will be like, but it appears that the film will focus on the conflicted loyalties of Herod’s son Antipater (Sam Worthington), much as Journey to Bethlehem did two years ago.
You can watch the trailer here:
And now for a few key screen grabs.
Here is Antipater (Sam Worthington) with …
… and without his helmet:
Here are Mary (Deva Cassel) and Joseph (Jamie Ward) bathing the baby Jesus (in an image that almost suggests a kind of baptism):
Here is Mary immersed in water herself—possibly in a mikveh, and possibly as part of the purity rites she took part in after she gave birth to Jesus (Luke 2:22-24):
Here is the Devil (Ben Mendelsohn) talking to Mary:
The Devil’s name in this movie will reportedly by Nahash, which is the Hebrew word for “serpent”—and there is an image of a serpent approaching the baby Jesus too:1
Here is Mary’s father Joachim (Gael García Bernal):
I assume this is Balthasar (David Harewood), one of the Magi:
And here is Herod (Jim Caviezel in his Colin-Farrell-in-The-Penguin makeup):
I have questions about a few of the images.
First, it looks like Mary is kneeling before the altar in the Temple. Is this part of a vision or something? I don’t believe women were allowed that deep into the Temple.
Second, why is this person looking at an image of a tree?
And third, what’s the basis for this eclipse shot? There are no eclipses in the gospels.2 Is this supposed to be the lunar eclipse that preceded Herod’s death?
Zero A.D. comes to theatres December 19—which happens to be the same day that another movie starring Sam Worthington as a (formerly) conflicted military type is coming out. It’s called Avatar: Fire and Ash. Maybe you’ve heard of it?
Previous videos for Zero A.D.:
The teaser (April 10, 2025)
Upcoming Bible movies and TV shows:
now-August 4, 2025 — The Lumo Project: Acts of the Apostles (streaming: YouTube)
August 11, 2025 — Judas’ Gospel (theatrical: Locarno Film Festival)
September 4-14, 2025 — You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution... (theatrical: Toronto International Film Festival)
September 5, 2025 — Light of the World (theatrical: Salvation Poem Project)
September 26, 2025 — Ruth & Boaz (streaming: Netflix)
Fall 2025 — House of David: Season 2 (streaming: Prime Video - Wonder Project)
November 2025 — Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints: Season 2 part 1 (streaming: Fox Nation)
December 19, 2025 — Zero A.D. (theatrical: Angel Studios)
2025 (no month specified) — The Carpenter’s Son (theatrical: Magnolia)
2025 (no month specified) — The Chosen Adventures (streaming)
2025 (no month specified) — The Promised Land: Season 1 (streaming)
March 22-April 5, 2026 — The Faithful (television: Fox)
April-May 2026 — Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints: Season 2 part 2 (streaming: Fox Nation)
second half of 2026 — The Chosen: Season 6: Episodes 1-6 (streaming: Prime Video)
March 12, 2027 — The Chosen: Season 6: Finale (theatrical: Amazon MGM)
March 31, 2028 — The Chosen: Season 7: Premiere (theatrical: Amazon MGM)
no release date specified — David (theatrical)
no release date specified — Jacob (theatrical: Angel Studios)
no release date specified — Joseph of Egypt (streaming: Prime Video)
no release date specified — The Resurrection of the Christ (theatrical: Lionsgate)
who knows when Malick will finish it — The Way of the Wind (theatrical)
There is a long Christian tradition that associates the Devil with the serpent in Genesis 3, and this scene obviously builds on that association. But I almost wonder if this scene might be alluding to a certain Greek myth about Hercules, too.
Some people assume that the darkness at the Crucifixion (Mark 15:33, Matthew 27:45, Luke 23:44-45) was the result of an eclipse, but Jesus was crucified during the Passover, and Passovers always take place during the full moon—and eclipses are not possible during full moons. Also, the darkness at the Crucifixion lasted three hours, not a few seconds or minutes.