Ahead of the Easter season, a new animated movie delves into the life of Jesus Christ – and a cat.
With a cast that reads like a who’s who of Hollywood royalty, the King of Kings is based on a story Charles Dickens wrote for his children but wasn’t published until 1934, 64 years after his death.
Irish actors Kenneth Branagh and Pierce Brosnan voice Charles Dickens and Pontius Pilate respectively.
Continuing the A-list cast is Oscar Isaac as Jesus Christ, Ben Kingsley as High Priest Caiaphas, Mark Hamill as King Herod, Uma Thurman as Catherine Dickens and Forest Whitaker as Peter.
The film follows Charles Dickens (Branagh) telling his son a bedtime story.
In the film the boy walks alongside Jesus and witnesses his miracles before understanding his ultimate sacrifice.
The first high-budget animated Biblical epic to hit cinemas since 1998’s The Prince of Egypt, Branagh describes his involvement in this Dickens “hidden gem” as an absolute pleasure.
“The King of Kings is passionately and imaginatively told and brings the characters, story and Jesus into a real humane focus,” he says.
The film was created by South Korea’s Mofac Animation and is the directorial debut by renowned animator Seong-ho Jang.
“This project is a testament to the power of storytelling and animation to bring ancient tales to life,” adds Jang.
King of Kings is already showing in some cinemas across Northern Ireland and is on general release from Friday.