We’ve all heard the Christmas story. The manger. The star. The shepherds. But Zero A.D., a new film coming this December from Angel Studios, wants to take us deeper—into the danger, darkness, and destiny that surrounded that sacred night. This isn’t the sweet nativity pageant we grew up with. It’s the untold origin of a revolution.
From the very first line of the teaser—“Before kings and empires feared Him, a tyrant sought to erase Him”—you know this is going to be something different. Zero A.D. centers on a young mother caught in the middle of a deadly power struggle. A ruthless prince is determined to crush a prophecy that threatens his father’s throne. And in the midst of it all, a baby is born. Not just any baby—but the baby. The one who will change everything.
Directed by Alejandro Monteverde (you might remember him from Sound of Freedom) and written by Rod Barr, Zero A.D. is being called Angel Studios’ most ambitious film yet. The cast is stacked: Deva Cassel as Mary, Sam Worthington as Antipater, and Jim Caviezel as Herod the Great. With filming done in Morocco, it’s clear this is going to be a sweeping, cinematic experience.
But it’s more than just spectacle. It’s about faith under fire. About the courage it takes to believe when everything around you is falling apart. About how light enters the world—not quietly, but in defiance of darkness.
This film is pulling back the curtain on the tension and turmoil surrounding Christ’s birth. Sometimes we forget that the nativity wasn’t just beautiful—it was brave. This movie looks like it’s going to remind us just how fiercely Heaven fought to bring peace to Earth.
So mark your calendars. Zero A.D. arrives this Christmas season. And if the trailer’s any indication, it’s going to stir your soul in ways you didn’t expect.
Holly Wallace is a writer and storyteller drawn to meaningful questions and overlooked details. Her work explores Latter-day Saint life and culture through faithful inquiry, inviting readers to pause, consider, and engage more deeply with what matters most.
Sounds interesting.