“The Carpenter’s Son,” a forthcoming biblical horror movie, is slated for release on November 14 via Magnolia Pictures. The film presents a high-concept premise: Mary and Joseph strive to safeguard a teenage Jesus, whose developing miraculous abilities are perceived as witchcraft by the surrounding community. Nicolas Cage, who portrays Joseph, articulated his specific interpretation of the film, noting his long-standing attraction to family-oriented movies, particularly dramas. He found the nativity narrative to offer an exceptionally compelling family dynamic, underscoring Joseph’s profound burden. Cage described Joseph’s role as a protector and guide of the divine child, emphasizing the extraordinary pressure he faces to ensure Jesus fulfills his sacred mission. This immense responsibility, fraught with the potential for an existential crisis and deep-seated doubts, sees Joseph grappling with both human and spiritual adversaries determined to derail their holy task.

The creative vision behind the film comes from writer and director Lotfy Nathan, who drew inspiration from the “Infancy Gospel of Thomas,” a collection of less-known stories from Jesus' childhood, often considered heretical. Nathan characterized this discovery as a “lightning bolt idea,” immediately envisioning the entire project as an origin story. Although he initially did not plan to create either a religious or a horror film, his reading of the Infancy Gospel naturally steered him in that direction. A significant creative departure introduced by Nathan is the inclusion of a form-shifting antagonist, Satan, a character absent from the apocryphal gospels he initially referenced. This addition, an evolution in crafting the origin story, aims to fill potential narrative gaps in Christ’s history, suggesting an early encounter between Jesus and Satan, thereby establishing a possible familiarity that could resonate later in their lives, a concept explored through New Testament questioning.

Noah Jupe, cast as Jesus, expressed his fascination with portraying Christ at an age rarely depicted, where the character remains unaware of his divine nature or future global impact. Jupe focused on imbuing the role with innocence and naïveté, allowing Jesus' coming-of-age to unfold organically within the narrative. He intentionally limited his research to events no later than Christ’s birth, ensuring his performance remained firmly rooted in this specific, formative period of Jesus' life. Similarly, FKA twigs, who embodies the stoic Mother Mary, collaborated with Nathan to convey her character’s strength through subtle presence and body language, rather than overt displays. They meticulously developed Mary’s stance, hand gestures, and expressions, crafting an authoritative figure whose silent cues could guide Jesus or subtly correct Joseph’s actions. This deliberate construction of Mary’s understated authority made her eventual “explosive scene” feel profoundly justified and impactful.

Jupe reflected on the profound opportunity and challenge of portraying such a globally significant figure. As a lover of stories, he found it “extremely exciting and daunting” to delve into a chapter of one of history’s most impactful narratives, regardless of whether it is considered fictional or real, that has influenced countless individuals. The film promises a fresh, intense look at the early life of Jesus through the lens of a biblical horror and family drama.