History: 92

Risen (2016), a biblical drama film directed and written by Kevin Reynolds and Paul Aiello respectively, tells the story of Clavius, a Roman Tribune from Legio X Fretensis. In charge of overseeing the crucifixion of Yeshua (Jesus), Clavius orders his men to guard the body after his death. However, the body mysteriously disappears and the soldiers accuse Yeshua’s followers of stealing it in order to fabricate his resurrection. To prevent an uprising in Jerusalem before the Emperor’s arrival, Pontius Pilate tasks ...

A.D. The Bible Continues (2015) is the follow-up to the 2013 biblical miniseries, The Bible, and the film Son of God. It is an American drama produced by Roma Downey, Mark Burnett, and Richard Bedser. The limited series premiered on NBC on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015, with twelve one-hour episodes airing weekly. Beginning with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, it picks up immediately after the events of The Bible and Son of God and continues with the first ten chapters of Acts ...

The American epic film, 300: Rise of an Empire (2014), directed by Noam Murro and written by Zack Snyder and Kurt Johnstad, retells the story of the Battle of Marathon. During this battle, King Darius of Persia is killed by Themistocles of Athens. Witnessing his father’s death, Darius’s son Xerxes is advised to avoid war with the Greeks. However, Artemisia, Darius’s naval commander, convinces Xerxes to become a god and sends him on a journey through the desert. After bathing in a mystical liquid in a cave, ...

Filmmaker Ridley Scott brought the biblical story of Exodus to life through his epic film, Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014). At this time in history, Moses, a respected member of the Egyptian royal family and a skilled general, prepares for battle with the Hittites alongside his fellow prince Ramesses. A High Priestess delivers a prophecy to Ramesses’s father Seti I using animal entrails, foretelling that one of the two princes will save the other and become a great leader. During the intense battle, Moses risks his own life to save Ramesses, leaving both men unsettled. As events unfold, Moses takes on the ...

Son of God (2014) is an American epic biblical film that tells the story of Jesus. Directed by Christopher Spencer and produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, the movie is an adaptation of the ten-hour miniseries The Bible, which originally aired on the History channel in March 2013. Following the film, another TV series called A.D. The Bible Continues premiered. John, the last surviving follower of Jesus Christ, resides as a hermit near the seaside where he shares his experiences with Jesus. In ...

Based on the legends of Ragnar Lodbrok, a renowned Viking leader feared for his ruthless raids on Anglo-Saxon England and West Francia, Vikings (2013–2020) portrays his rise from a simple farmer in Kattegat to a Scandinavian king. With the help of his family and fellow warriors, Ragnar’s fame only grows as he continues to pillage England. As the show progresses, it also delves into the stories of his sons and their own daring exploits across Europe, Asia, and North America. It broadly follows the exploits of the legendary Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok and his crew, family and descendants as described in the 13th-century ...

The biographical drama film, 12 Years a Slave (2013), is based on the slave memoir Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup. Directed by Steve McQueen and written by John Ridley, it follows the story of Northup, an African American man who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. in 1841 and sold into slavery in Louisiana for 12 years. Prior to his abduction, Northup was a free man living with his family in Saratoga Springs, New York and working as a violinist. Brown and Hamilton tricked him into taking short-term ...

The Bible (2013) is a television miniseries based on the biblical accounts, produced by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett. Originally aired on History channel in March 2013, it was later adapted into a feature film called Son of God. This epic biblical drama covers Genesis to Revelation in ten hour-long episodes, presented in five pairs. Each episode features live-action and computer-generated imagery to portray two or three biblical stories. Notable stories such as Noah’s Ark, the Exodus, and the life of

The film Barabbas (2012) follows the story of the titular character whose life was spared due to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Starring Billy Zane and based on Par Lagerkvist’s Nobel Prize-winning novel, this television movie retells the Biblical tale of redemption and will air as a four-hour miniseries on REELZ. Filmed in Tunisia, this Emmy Award-winning production was helmed by director Roger Young.

The historical romantic drama film, Anna Karenina (2012), directed by Joe Wright and adapted by Tom Stoppard from Leo Tolstoy’s novel of the same name, portrays the tragic story of Russian aristocrat and socialite Anna Karenina. Married to statesman Alexei Karenin, Anna engages in an affair with wealthy cavalry officer Count Vronsky. Meanwhile, in 1874 Russia, Princess Darya (known as ‘Dolly’) banishes her unfaithful husband Prince Stephan ‘Stiva’ Oblonsky. Upon hearing this news, Anna travels ...

The American biographical historical drama film Lincoln (2012) was brought to life by director and producer Steven Spielberg. With a focus on Lincoln’s efforts in early 1865, the film showcases his determination to abolish slavery and involuntary servitude through the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. As the Civil War nears its end with the defeat of the Confederate States, President Abraham Lincoln shares his concern that his 1863 Emancipation Proclamation may not hold up in court post-war, and that the proposed Thirteenth Amendment may face defeat from returning slave states. ...

Anonymous (2011), a period drama directed by Roland Emmerich and written by John Orloff, tells a fictionalized tale of the life of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. The film suggests that de Vere was actually the true author of William Shakespeare’s plays. In modern-day New York, Derek Jacobi delivers a monologue at a theatre questioning the lack of written manuscripts from Shakespeare, despite his unparalleled success as a playwright. Meanwhile, Ben Jonson prepares to take the stage. The narrator offers to lead the audience on a journey through an alternative ...

The action film, Robin Hood (2010), directed by Ridley Scott, is based on the legendary character of the same name. The story takes place in 1199 AD and follows Robin Longstride, a skilled archer serving in the army of King Richard the Lionheart. Having experienced the hardships of Richard’s crusade, Robin and his fellow soldiers find themselves in a siege at Chalus Castle. Tired and disenchanted, Robin speaks honestly about the King’s leadership when asked by him and as a result, he and his comrades – Allan A’Dayle, Will Scarlett, and Little John – end up in the stocks. When King Richard ...

Mulan: Rise of a Warrior (2009) is an action-packed Chinese war film featuring Zhao Wei in the lead role. The movie follows the story of Hua Hu, a retired soldier who is determined to serve his country during the constant threat from the Rouran tribes in 450 A.D. However, due to the nationwide draft, his daughter Hua Mulan is unable to fulfill her desire to enlist as she is a woman. Fueled by her intelligence and impressive martial arts skills, Mulan takes matters into her own hands by disguising herself as a man and sneaking out of her home with the family horse. Luckily, her friend Fei Xiaohu ‘Tiger’ ...

The American television miniseries John Adams (2008) follows the political journey of U.S. president John Adams and his pivotal role in the establishment of the United States. Directed by Tom Hooper and starring Paul Giamatti as Adams, the series was adapted from David McCullough’s 2001 book of the same name by Kirk Ellis. Over seven episodes, HBO brought to life both the biopic of Adams and the first 50 years of America’s history. Garnering widespread critical ...

10,000 BC (2008) is an American action-adventure film co-written, co-produced and directed by Roland Emmerich, with additional writing and scoring by Harald Kloser. The movie follows a tribe called the Yagahl living in the Ural Mountains during the last Ice Age. Their main source of sustenance is hunting woolly mammoths, but their numbers are rapidly decreasing. A skilled hunter who has successfully taken down a dangerous animal receives blessings from an elder shaman named Old Mother. When the village chief discovers a young survivor named Evolet, who had escaped from a ...

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur released a biographical historical drama called Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007). During this time, Catholic Spain, under the rule of King Philip II, held immense power in Europe. Despite multiple Catholic plots against Queen Elizabeth’s life in the 1570s, all were ultimately unsuccessful. Pope Sixtus V then turned to King Philip and convinced him to use his formidable naval force for invading and re-Catholicizing England. This plan would result in the overthrow of Elizabeth and give control of England to Philip with the pope’s approval. As part of this plot, Philip plans to have his ...

300 (2006), an American epic historical war action film, is based on the 1998 comic book series of the same name by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley. Set in 480 B.C., it tells the story of Leonidas I, from his childhood to kingship, according to Spartan doctrine. The plot begins when a Persian herald arrives at Sparta, demanding ‘earth and water’ as a token of submission to King Xerxes. After being insulted by the herald, Queen Gorgo urges Leonidas to submit. However, he instead throws them both into a bottomless pit. Next, Leonidas visits the Ephors and presents ...

Sofia Coppola wrote and directed a historical drama film Marie Antoinett (2006) centered around the life of Queen Marie Antoinette. The youngest daughter of Empress Maria-Theresa of Austria, fourteen-year-old Maria Antonia, is described as a beautiful, charming, and naïve archduchess. In order to unite two rival countries, her mother arranges for her to marry Louis-Auguste, the Dauphin of France. Upon arriving in France and taking on the name Marie Antoinette, she meets King Louis XV and her future husband. Their wedding takes place immediately upon their arrival at the Palace of Versailles. The couple is expected to ...

The period thriller, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006), follows the life of notorious murderer Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. Directed by Tom Tykwer and written in collaboration with Andrew Birkin and Bernd Eichinger, the film is based on Patrick Süskind’s novel of the same name. Grenouille’s story is told through flashbacks, beginning with his sentencing for his crimes. Abandoned at birth in a French fish market ...