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The Chosen Seasons 1-3 Are Available Now In Walmart Stores Nationwide, With Season 4 Releasing June 25th The Partnership Will Provide Wider Distribution Through Season 5 At Select Retail Stores Within The US And Canada

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., June 24, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Studio Distribution Services (SDS), the leading distributor for film and television physical media entertainment in the United States and Canada, has reached an agreement to expand the Blu-ray and DVD releases in Walmart stores nationwide for the global hit television series, The Chosen. This distribution partnership marks the first deal of its kind for SDS to release content outside the studio film labels that it currently manages for its parent studios, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. The deal with The Chosen began with debuting Seasons 1-3 at US-only Walmart stores and has now expanded to existing catalog products, including The Chosen Seasons 1-3 DVD bundle and individual seasons with exclusive artwork in the US, as well as the much-anticipated upcoming release, The Chosen Season 4, coming to stores on Blu-ray and DVD on June 25th in both the US and Canada, and a Season 5 when released, in both the US and Canada.

The Chosen TV series is a groundbreaking multi-season episodic television drama based on the story of Jesus that is produced, written, and directed by Dallas Jenkins. The series has been a global phenomenon and continues to be one of the most-watched shows in the world. It boasts over 200 million viewers across over 770 million episode views and has consistently been a top performer across the variety of broadcast and streaming platforms that it has played on. It has also established a large social media presence with over 13 million followers. "Our partnership with SDS helps us more effectively serve millions of fans across retail destinations where they shop," said Craig Featherstone, Director of Sales, The Chosen. "But the real magic of the partnership is a wildly collaborative friendship that is introducing millions of new fans to The Chosen—a show about the authentic Jesus of the Bible. Across every part of the SDS organization, they have skilled and passionate advocates for our show and our fans. We're grateful for the care and support at every level of their organization." 

The collaboration with The Chosen is SDS' first direct partnership with a film distributor, outside its parent studios, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and their partners. The strategic move follows SDS being selected by Walmart U.S. as its consolidator for physical content. SDS is designed for scalability, making it a seamless process to incorporate new partners into their distribution model. This positions SDS to continue to foster direct connections between film distributors and audiences. While the company was initially set up for Warner Bros, Universal, and their partners, it was built in a way that would allow it to scale up easily," SDS President Eddie Cunningham recently explained. "And we couldn't be more delighted to be partnering with The Chosen team to bring the popular franchise to Walmart shelves."

SDS is a leading force in the industry, having released five out of the top ten physical media releases in 2023 with the titles, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Oppenheimer, Fast X, Barbie and Black Adam. The deal with The Chosen showcases SDS' commitment to innovation and adaptability in the ever-evolving physical media industry. As physical media enthusiasts eagerly anticipate The Chosen's future releases, the partnership exemplifies SDS' dedication to championing the physical media industry and continuing to connect physical content distribution to audiences.

ABOUT THE CHOSEN

The Chosen is a groundbreaking historical drama based on the life of Jesus (Jonathan Roumie), seen through the eyes of those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the seven-season show shares an authentic and intimate look at Jesus' revolutionary life and teachings. With over 200 million viewers, The Chosen is one of the most-watched shows in the world. The series is consistently a top performer across streaming platforms Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Netflix plus a top-rated broadcast weekly on The CW. What started as a crowd-funded project has now garnered over 770 million episode views and more than 13 million social media followers. The Chosen is an independent production written, directed, and produced by Dallas Jenkins and distributed globally by Lionsgate.

ABOUT STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVICES

Studio Distribution Services (SDS) is a joint venture between Warner Bros. Discovery and Universal Pictures. As the leading distributor for the entertainment industry, SDS oversees sales, distribution, and retail marketing of new release and library content for both film and television from a wide range of film labels. Headquartered on the iconic Universal Lot in Los Angeles, SDS also has sales offices in Bentonville, AR, and Toronto, Canada.

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Media Contact
Azy Kashani, Studio Distribution Services, 1 626-524-4245, [email protected], SDS.Media

SOURCE Studio Distribution Services