House of David (TV series)

House of David is an American biblical historical drama television series. Created, co-directed, and co-written by filmmaker Jon Erwin for Amazon Prime Video, it is a multi-season series about the life of David. Primarily set in Israel in 1000 BC, the series depicts the rise of David, tracing his journey from being a shepherd to his battle against Goliath and eventual kingship with the House of David succeeding the House of Saul. Michael Iskander stars as David alongside Ali Suliman, Stephen Lang, Ayelet Zurer, Indy Lewis, Ethan Kai, and Martyn Ford, among many others.
The series was produced by The Wonder Project, a studio led by Erwin and Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten, in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios, and is internationally distributed by Lionsgate. The creators have emphasized that the show is made for a broad audience, not just religious people.
Following a four-month casting search, Michael Iskander was chosen to portray David, and Martyn Ford as Goliath. Filming took place in Greece in 2024.
The series premiered on February 27, 2025, with the first three episodes released on Amazon Prime Video, followed by weekly episodes until April 3, 2025. It received praise for its production values and faithfulness to Jewish traditions and the Christian biblical narrative. It has been renewed for a second season.
Set in 1000 BC in Israel, the first season chronicles David as a young shepherd anointed by the prophet Samuel to be the next king following Saul's disobedient descent. As David continues his journey to kingship with challenges and opportunities from his faith and relationships, the season culminates with his battle against the Philistine giant Goliath.
The development of House of David originated from creator Jon Erwin's longstanding interest in the biblical story of King David. Erwin's fascination with the narrative began in his youth and led him to start working on the script as a teenager after visiting King David's tomb in Jerusalem. This early inspiration eventually contributed to the creation of the television series years later. The series was produced by The Wonder Project, a studio founded by Erwin and Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten, in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon's interest in a high-budget biblical series was piqued when On a Wing and a Prayer proved unexpectedly popular on the platform.
Amazon's initial order was only for one season. Erwin said before its release that the script he wrote encompasses three seasons, hoping to finish it.
The casting process for House of David was extensive, spanning four months to find the ideal actor for the titular role. The filmmakers said the actors did not need to be personally religious, but needed to be excited about the story.
Newcomer Michael Iskander was ultimately selected to portray David, marking his first major acting credit. Iskander secured the role in auditions partly because he had thrown the shot put and the discus in high school. Joining him is Ali Suliman as King Saul, the first king of Israel whose complex relationship with David forms a central pillar of the story. Ayelet Zurer portrays Queen Ahinoam, Saul's wife, adding depth to the royal family dynamics. Veteran actor Stephen Lang takes on the role of Samuel, the prophet who anoints David. Additionally, British bodybuilder and actor Martyn Ford was cast as the formidable Goliath. Ford is 6'8" and 320 pounds, and in the series is portrayed as 9'9" through forced perspective and digital enhancements.
The supporting cast includes Louis Ferreira as Jesse, David's father; Ethan Kai as Jonathan, Saul's son and David's close friend; Indy Lewis as Michal, Saul's daughter; Oded Fehr as Abner, the commander of Saul's army; Yali Topol Margalith as Merab, Saul's eldest daughter; Nimo Hochenberg as Silas, Samuel's loyal servant; Aury Alby as Joab, one of David's warriors; Ashraf Barhom as Doeg the Edomite; Sam Otto as Eshbaal, another of Saul's sons; Davood Ghadami as Eliab, David's eldest brother; Alexander Uloom as Achish, a Philistine king; Raresh DiMofte as Lahmi; and Siir Tilif as Nitzevet, David's mother.
The writing of House of David seeks to present a nuanced depiction of King David by combining scriptural narratives with creative storytelling. Co-created and directed by Jon Erwin and Jon Gunn, both known for their work in faith-based cinema, the series aims to make the biblical story more relatable to contemporary audiences. Drawing primarily from the early chapters of 1 Samuel, the narrative follows David’s transformation from a shepherd to a central figure in Israel’s history. The writers expand upon the biblical text to explore his relationships with key figures such as King Saul and the prophet Samuel, adding complexity to these interactions.
The series integrates direct biblical references with original dialogue, developing subplots that provide depth to secondary characters, including Saul, Michal, and Jonathan. It also delves into David’s internal struggles with faith, morality, and leadership, extending beyond his well-documented battles and victories.
The series is intended to be faithful to the Hebrew Bible but not necessarily a strict retelling of the biblical account of David. "I do remind people this is not Scripture. This is not the source material. This is a love letter to the source material," Erwin says. Historians, biblical and rabbinical scholars, and pastors were consulted in writing the script.
One of the challenges in writing the series was crafting dialogue that felt authentic to the historical setting while remaining accessible to modern audiences. To achieve this balance, the writers adopted a formal yet naturalistic style, avoiding overly archaic language.
Erwin and Gunn say that the show is not only intended for religious people but for a broad audience, with inspiration taken from The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Harry Potter.
Principal photography for House of David commenced in 2024, with the production team selecting Greece as the primary filming location. The country's ancient architecture and diverse landscapes provided an authentic backdrop for the biblical narrative. Specific locations included the region of Fyli, which effectively represented the historical setting of the series. Additionally, parts of the series were filmed in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, utilizing its vast terrains to depict various aspects of the story.
The production team initially scouted locations in Morocco, Jordan, Italy, and Israel before finalizing Greece and Canada for their suitable landscapes and infrastructure. Filming in these locations not only provided visual authenticity but also contributed to the high production values noted in the series. Over 700 people were involved in the production.
Generative artificial intelligence was used in combination with traditional special effects to create an origin sequence for Goliath. Erwin stated that AI made the scene grander and more detailed than their time and budget would allow using only regular tools.
The music for the television series House of David was composed by Kevin Kiner along with his children, Sean and Deana Kiner. The trio has previously worked on series such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Narcos: Mexico.
For House of David, their composition incorporates a blend of traditional Middle Eastern instrumentation and contemporary orchestral elements, aiming to align with the historical setting while appealing to modern audiences. The series' official soundtrack, House of David: Season One, was released digitally on February 27, 2025, to coincide with the show's premiere.
Additionally, a compilation album titled Music Inspired by the Prime Video Original Series "House of David" features songs from various artists that complement the themes of the series. The album was made available for pre-save on February 21, 2025.
The series premiered on February 27, 2025, with the first three episodes made available for streaming. New episodes are released weekly on Thursdays Prime Video, with the season finale set to air on April 3, 2025.
In its first week, the series reached #2 on Prime's most watched list. It drew 22 million viewers in the first 17 days, leading Amazon Prime to quickly renew it for a second season.
The series has received a range of reviews from critics. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 71% of 7 critics gave the series a positive review, with an average rating of 7/10.
The Gospel Coalition praised House of David for maintaining a balance between narrative engagement and biblical accuracy. The review highlights how the multi-season format allows for more in-depth character development compared to feature films. Similarly, Leah MarieAnn Klett of The Christian Post describes the series as "visually stunning and spiritually rich," commending its high production values and performances. She notes that the show effectively blends biblical accuracy with compelling drama, making the story accessible to contemporary audiences. Alison Herman of Variety critiqued House of David for its lack of depth, calling it “wooden and cheap-looking” despite Amazon’s investment in biblical epics. Acknowledging its positioning as a prequel to The Chosen, the review cites inconsistent accents, unconvincing special effects, and a lack of emotional engagement to ultimately consider the show uninspired, failing to develop compelling characters or match the intrigue of historical dramas like Shōgun. Martin Carr of Comic Book Resources describes House of David as a "sweeping biblical epic" that embraces a grand storytelling approach. He highlights the series' exploration of political power struggles and divine intervention, crafting a narrative of triumph against overwhelming odds that resonates with contemporary audiences. Joel Keller of Decider acknowledges its attempt to present biblical figures with greater depth but argues that it falls short, stating that the characters "appear more like mythical figures rather than relatable humans" and describing the tone as "dull and uninspiring".
Batya Ungar-Sargon of The Free Press called the series "phenomenal" and praised its depiction of Jewish traditions. "The show’s most important contribution is in exposing liberal American Jews to the way so many of our Christian neighbors see us—not as an oppressed victim caste who killed Christ and should be loathed for it, but rather as an ancient, noble tribe of warrior poets and kings favored by the blessing of the God they serve," she wrote.