The online fandom for the hit global phenomenon The Chosen was thrown into total overdrive this week after a massive, unauthorized set leak surfaced across social media platforms, providing fans with their very first glimpse into the series’ highly anticipated seventh and final season.

The leaked behind-the-scenes video clips and high-resolution photographs, which appear to have been captured near the show’s secluded filming location in Utah, depict the monumental moments following the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (played by Jonathan Roumie). While seeing the glorified, resurrected Savior in full costume was enough to bring millions of devout viewers to tears, it is the unexpected presence of a key figure standing right beside Him outside the empty tomb that has left the international fanbase entirely dumbfounded.

The leaked imagery not only hints at an emotional, earth-shattering climax to the historical drama, but also signals a completely distinct narrative perspective that creator and director Dallas Jenkins has kept under lock and key—until now.

The Leak That Broke the Internet

It started late Tuesday evening when short vertical video clips began making rounds on TikTok, Reddit, and X (formerly Twitter). Within hours, hashtags like #TheChosenSeason7, #ResurrectionLeak, and #TheEmptyTomb trended globally.

The leaked footage begins with a wide, cinematic camera crane swooping past a limestone garden tomb carved into a rugged hillside. Emerging into the dawn light is Jonathan Roumie’s Jesus, bearing visible, majestic scars on His hands and feet while radiating a serene, transformative presence.

However, as the camera pans during a break in filming, the spotlight shifts to the actor standing directly opposite Christ at the entrance of the tomb.

It wasn’t Mary Magdalene (Elizabeth Tabish), nor was it Simon Peter (Shahar Isaac) or John (George H. Xanthis)—the figures traditionally expected to anchor the immediate post-Resurrection narrative. Instead, dressed in distinct, recognizable attire that fans immediately identified from earlier seasons, stood Shmuel (Brandon Potter), the rigid Pharisee and relentless antagonist who spent much of the series hunting Jesus for blasphemy, alongside the conflicted Sanhedrin leader Nicodemus (Erick Avari).

In one particularly gripping set photo, Jesus extends a hand toward a weeping, paralyzed Shmuel, whose jaw is dropped in complete, undone awe as he stares at the empty burial linens lying inside the tomb.

A Radical Narrative Twist: Through the Eyes of the Enemy

For six seasons, The Chosen has earned worldwide acclaim for taking familiar biblical passages and breathing intimate, deeply human backstory into them. The decision to place a fierce antagonist like Shmuel—or a covert seeker like Nicodemus—at the immediate center of the empty tomb discovery marks one of Dallas Jenkins’ most audacious creative choices yet.

Scholars and fans alike are already dissecting what this scene could mean for Season 7.

“In standard cinematic adaptations of the Gospel, the camera stays almost exclusively with the grieving women or the hiding apostles during the Resurrection morning,” explained biblical media analyst Dr. Marcus Vance. “If Dallas Jenkins is framing the immediate aftermath of Golgotha partly through the eyes of the Pharisaical establishment—the very people who demanded the crucifixion—it fundamentally shifts the emotional weight. It turns the Resurrection from a private comfort for Christ’s followers into an undeniable, structural earthquake for His enemies.”

Fans on the popular The Chosen subreddit quickly pointed out subtle narrative setup from previous seasons. Shmuel’s arc throughout the series has been a complex tragedy: a man driven not purely by malice, but by an obsessive, misguided zeal for the Law of Moses. To have the ultimate proof of Jesus’ divinity shattered before Shmuel’s eyes at the tomb offers an unmatched potential for a dramatic redemption arc.

“Seeing Shmuel fall to his knees in front of the resurrected Jesus gave me chills just looking at a pixelated leak,” wrote one fan on X. “If Shmuel realizes he helped condemn the true Messiah, his reaction is going to break us.”

Security Measures and Production Silence

The sudden surge of leaked material has sent shockwaves through 5&2 Studios and the production team. While set leaks are commonplace for blockbuster superhero movies or fantasy sagas, The Chosen has historically maintained incredible control over its production environments, often relying on thousands of background extras who sign strict non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).

Neither Dallas Jenkins nor the executive producers have issued an official press release regarding the leak. However, insiders close to production hint that the crew is scrambling to scrub mirror uploads of the videos from streaming platforms.

During a recent livestream prior to the leak, Jenkins spoke broadly about the challenges of filming Season 7, describing the final chapter as “the most emotionally taxing, visually monumental, and scripturally sacred work we have ever attempted.”

When asked previously how he intended to handle the Resurrection without making it feel like a generic re-enactment, Jenkins teased: “The audience thinks they know how these final scenes have to play out on screen. But we are telling this story through specific human eyes. You will see moments you’ve read your whole life, but from an angle that will make you feel like you are experiencing them for the very first time.”

In light of the new leaks, Jenkins’ comments now carry a profound new meaning.

The Grand Finale Approaches

Since its humble crowdfunding beginnings in 2017, The Chosen has grown into a multi-billion-stream global sensation translated into over 50 languages. The journey toward the cross and the empty tomb has been built across seven carefully paced seasons, making Season 7 the ultimate culmination of a decade-long filmmaking miracle.

The presence of unexpected key characters at the empty tomb suggests that Season 7 won’t merely wrap up loose plot threads—it will force every major character, from the most devoted disciple to the fiercest Roman centurion and Jewish leader, to face the reality of the resurrected King.

As the production team works to contain the leak, one thing is abundantly clear: the hype for The Chosen’s epic conclusion has reached a fever pitch. Fans will be watching eagerly for official trailers to see how this shocking, perspective-shifting moment translates from a leaked set photo into a cinematic masterpiece.