Nicolas Cage is taking on one of history’s most challenging father roles: Joseph, the earthly dad of Jesus Christ.
The Oscar-winning actor stars in the upcoming supernatural thriller “The Carpenter’s Son,” a film that ventures into territory rarely explored in religious cinema — the mysterious childhood years of Jesus, based on non-canonical texts that depict a young messiah with supernatural powers but an undeveloped moral compass. Set for theatrical release on November 14, 2025, the R-rated film has already generated both fascination and controversy for its unorthodox source material.
“Family dramas, it’s no secret, is one of my favorite subject matters or genres. I couldn’t think of a more compelling family dynamic than the Nativity,” Cage explained. “As I read it and thought about it, I never thought of it as a horror film per se. I saw it as a family drama about an existential crisis.”
Apocryphal Origins
Writer-director Lotfy Nathan, who was raised in the Coptic Orthodox tradition, adapted the film from the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, an apocryphal text popular among early Christians but excluded from the canonical New Testament. The ancient document portrays a young Jesus with miraculous abilities but lacking the spiritual maturity seen in the gospels.
“The thought gave me chills,” Nathan recalled. “The novelty of this, in a way, being an origin story that hadn’t been told before.”
The source material presented unique challenges. “It’s written like a laundry list of events. It doesn’t really have an arc, so to speak,” Nathan noted. “I had a historian pull a lot of research for me before I wrote the first draft.”
To craft a coherent narrative, Nathan incorporated additional elements, including the presence of Satan tempting the young Jesus to rebel against Joseph’s authority — a storyline not found in the original text.
Controversial Content
What exactly makes this portrayal so contentious? The film depicts a teenage Jesus, played by Noah Jupe, with supernatural abilities that sometimes turn destructive. In the apocryphal text, young Jesus strikes down a teacher and causes a boy’s death in the marketplace.
“This is not the Jesus that they expect — a Jesus that kills a boy in the marketplace or strikes down his teacher,” said Tony Burke, a York University professor who studies apocryphal texts. “In the ancient world, it was not that uncommon to tell stories of revered holy men cursing as well as blessing,” he added.
The film’s premise — depicting Jesus potentially under demonic influence — has particularly alarmed some theologians. Traditional Christian doctrine holds that Jesus embodied the fullness of God, making coexistence with a demonic force theologically impossible, critics argue.
Predictably, the film has drawn fire from conservative Christian groups. The American Family Association has denounced the movie and launched a petition against its release.
A Family Under Supernatural Threat
Running a tight 94 minutes and carrying an R rating for “brief nudity and strong/bloody violent content,” the film is set in a remote Roman-era Egyptian village, where Joseph (Cage), Mary (played by musician FKA twigs), and their teenage son Jesus live under constant threat.
According to the official synopsis, “Joseph, Mary and their teenage son Jesus have lived for years under threat, clinging to their faith and traditions. But a stopover in a small settlement unleashes growing chaos when a mysterious stranger tries to entice young Jesus to abandon his devout father’s rules,” as shared by the filmmakers.
FKA twigs, making her major film debut as Mary, described shooting on location in Greece as a “visceral experience.” The singer-actress reportedly prepared a themed perfume for her first meeting with Cage before realizing it might not have been necessary given the veteran actor’s immersive approach.
Made with Reverence?
Despite the controversial subject matter, could the film actually be approaching its subject with respect? Cage insists that’s the case.
“Nobody wanted to offend anybody in the making of this movie,” Cage emphasized. “If anyone does go to this movie, they would see that everyone treated it with love and not with any approach of mockery or contempt. It was all about love.”
Whether audiences — particularly those with strong religious convictions — will see it that way remains to be seen. The unusual blend of supernatural thriller elements with religious subject matter makes “The Carpenter’s Son” one of next year’s more unpredictable releases, continuing Cage’s late-career renaissance of taking on increasingly challenging and unconventional roles.
As the film’s November 2025 release approaches, one thing seems certain: by diving into the murky waters of apocryphal texts and portraying a version of Jesus rarely seen on screen, “The Carpenter’s Son” will likely generate as much theological debate as it does box office receipts.
