The Gospel of John is a 2003 epic biblical drama film that presents a word‑for‑word adaptation of the Gospel of John from the New Testament. The screenplay, written by John Goldsmith, follows the Good News Translation of the American Bible Society precisely, without additions from the other gospels or omissions of the original text.
Production
- Director: Philip Saville
- Screenplay: John Goldsmith
- Producers: Garth H. Drabinsky, Chris Chrisafis
- Cinematography: Mirosław Baszak
- Edited by: Michel Arcand
- Music: Jeff Danna
- Production company: Visual Bible International
- Filming locations: Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Almería and Andalucía, Spain
The film was produced through a collaboration of Canadian and British artists, with many cast members drawn from the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Soulpepper Theatre Company, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the Royal National Theatre. Visual Bible International oversaw the project, aiming to create a faithful visual representation of the biblical text.
Cast
- Henry Ian Cusick as Jesus of Nazareth
- Stuart Bunce as John (the apostle)
- Christopher Plummer as the Narrator (voice)
- Daniel Kash as Simon Peter
- Stephen Russell as Pontius Pilate
- Alan Van Sprang as Judas Iscariot
- Diana Berriman as Mary, mother of Jesus
- Lynsey Baxter as Mary Magdalene, among others
Release and Distribution
- Release date: 26 September 2003
- Running time: 180 minutes
- Countries: United Kingdom, Canada, United States
- Language: English
- Budget: Estimated US $10–11 million
- Box office: Approximately US $4.1 million
The film was distributed by ThinkFilm and was shown at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival. It later became available on home video and streaming platforms.
Reception Critical response was mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, 37 % of 49 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 5.1/10. The consensus noted the film’s reverent approach but criticized its lack of cinematic vitality. Metacritic assigned a weighted score of 52 out of 100 based on 14 reviews, indicating “mixed or average reviews.” Audience reception was generally more favorable, with higher scores on user‑generated platforms and notable viewership on video‑sharing sites.
Some reviewers highlighted the film’s strict adherence to the biblical text as a strength, while others pointed out minor dramatizations not found in the scripture, such as the inclusion of Mary Magdalene at the Last Supper, which was cited as a deviation from the source material.
See also
- The Gospel of John (2014 film), another word‑for‑word adaptation
- List of Easter films
- The Visual Bible series (e.g., The Visual Bible: Matthew, The Visual Bible: Acts)
References
- Wikipedia contributors, “The Gospel of John (2003 film),” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed April 2026.
- Box Office Mojo, “The Gospel of John.”
- Rotten Tomatoes, “The Gospel of John.”
- Metacritic, “The Gospel of John.”