PBS has greenlit six-hour limited series "The Route to Christianity," an historical look at the history of the religion.
Project comes from TMC Entertainment and Maya Vision Intl., which were also behind PBS' three-hour entry "Walking the Bible."
TMC chief exec Drew Levin ("Cosmos: A Special Edition) will exec produce, while Maya Vision founder Rebecca Dobbs ("Alexander the Great") is aboard to produce.
PBS senior veep John Wilson, who will announce the project this morning at the pubcaster's portion of the TV Critics Assn. press tour, said "The Route to Christianity" was greenlit following the success of "Walking the Bible."
"We are confident that 'The Route to Christianity' will do the same, making the combined nine-hour project the definitive documentary series on the Bible," Wilson said.
Project will be filmed in high definition throughout the Middle East, as well as India and Europe. "Route" will be divided into three episodes: "The Path of Jesus," which follows Jesus' early years; "A Tale of Two Cities," about the first churches established in Antioch and Alexandria; and "The Book of Revelation," about John's document.
Daniel Smith-Christopher, a professor of theological studies and director of the peace studies minor at Loyola Marymount U., will present the series and guide viewers through key sites from the New Testament.
"Route" reps the fifth PBS program from Levin and TMC.
Contact Michael Schneider at
mike.schneider@variety.com