**The Carpenter’s Son: A Bold Reimagining of the Nativity Story**
*The Carpenter’s Son* offers a high-concept twist on the biblical narrative, focusing on Mary and Joseph’s struggle to protect a teenage Jesus. In this retelling, Jesus’s emerging miracles are mistaken for witchcraft by the suspicious community around him. Nicolas Cage, who portrays Joseph, shares his unique perspective on the Biblical horror movie.
“I have always been drawn to movies about family, beginning with *East of Eden* and *Ordinary People,* and in my own work, I’ve tried to gravitate towards family dramas in particular,” Cage explains. “I couldn’t think of a more compelling family dynamic than the nativity itself, particularly as it pertains to Joseph. As parents, we’re all under immense pressure to protect, guide, and keep our children healthy and safe. But imagine Joseph, who has been called to protect and guide that which is divine—the son of God. The pressure to deliver the divine child to his mission is that times billions. If anything goes wrong or he fails or makes a mistake, he feels it’s on him.”
This immense burden leads Joseph into an existential crisis, contending with doubts and forces—both human and spiritual—that threaten to derail the mission.
The film is set to hit theaters in November.
**Inspiration from Apocryphal Texts**
Director Nathan reveals how the film originated from a rare and intriguing religious text. “I’m always on the hunt for what could be a good film. My dad, who’s very into religious history, introduced me to the *Infancy Gospel of Thomas.* He had this old copy of the apocryphal gospel and pitched that to me as an idea, and I just thought it was incredible.”
Nathan describes the moment of inspiration: “It was one of those rare lightning bolt ideas where you can see the whole thing right away. Plus, if you squint at it, it’s sort of an origin story, which was exciting to me—to do something like that.”
He admits that he did not plan to make a religious film or a Christian story, nor a horror movie. “But I think that was part of my reading of the *Infancy Gospel.*”
**A Unique Antagonist Emerges**
One of the film’s biggest twists is the inclusion of a shape-shifting antagonist, famously known for Biblical mischief. “Satan is not in the apocryphal gospels I was referencing, and my earlier drafts didn’t have that element,” Nathan states.
The decision to incorporate this character grew out of a desire to tell an origin story that fills in missing pieces of Christ’s early life while fitting neatly and sequentially into what could have happened.
“It occurred to me that Jesus, as a child, may have had his first encounter with Satan,” Nathan adds. “I started to look at the New Testament, asking those questions. They could have met before, and I was allured by the idea that they could have some familiarity at that point—later on in his life.”
**Portraying Jesus in a New Light**
Noah Jupe, who plays Jesus, found the role both exciting and challenging. “At the beginning of this film, Jesus does not know that he’s Jesus. He does not know what’s going to happen to him or the impact he’ll have on this world.”
He focused on bringing the innocence and naïveté of a boy unaware of his destiny, allowing this character to unfold naturally throughout the story. “I didn’t want to look at anything later than the birth of Christ because that all happens after this story. I wanted to be present in this moment in his life and the coming of age of Jesus, exploring that.”
**FKA Twigs’ Powerful Portrayal of Mary**
FKA Twigs delivers a compelling performance as the stoic Mother Mary, emphasizing strength through presence and body language. “Something that Lotfy and I spoke about a lot was to not mistake Mary’s grace for weakness,” she says.
“We worked heavily on the way she stood, the way she held her hands, and how she would look or nod her head from the very beginning. I really wanted to charge Mary with a lot of authority, but in a way that came naturally—where just a look from her would make Jesus stop or Joseph realize he’d gone too far.”
This careful crafting allows Mary’s explosive moments to feel fully warranted and impactful.
**A Daunting but Rewarding Role**
Despite the story’s unconventional approach, Jupe acknowledges the gravity of portraying such an iconic figure. “As a lover of stories, when I was presented with this opportunity to explore a section of one of the greatest stories—fictional or not—ever told, which has impacted millions and millions of people, it was extremely exciting and daunting.”
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Watch *The Carpenter’s Son* trailer below and prepare for a fresh, suspenseful take on one of history’s most enduring tales.
https://variety.com/2025/film/features/the-carpenters-son-nicolas-cage-satan-jesus-horror-movie-1236564411/