NICOLAS CAGE STARS IN HORROR FILM ABOUT JESUS' YOUTH BASED ON APOCRYPHAL TEXT
"The Carpenter's Son," a psychological horror film starring Nicolas Cage, was released in the United States on November 14, 2025.
The film, written and directed by Lotfy Nathan, is based on the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas and depicts the youth of Jesus Christ.
The film stars Cage as Joseph, FKA Twigs as Mary, and Noah Jupe as teenage Jesus. The story follows Jesus as a young boy being tempted by Satan, portrayed as a teenage girl, to rebel against his father Joseph. The film is rated R and runs 94 minutes.
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas is a second century text that did not make it into the New Testament but remained popular among Christians for centuries. The text portrays Jesus from ages 5 to 12 as having supernatural powers but lacking the moral compass expected from the canonical Gospels.
Nathan, who was raised Coptic Orthodox, stated, "The novelty of this, in a way, being an origin story that hadn't been told before" gave him chills when he first read the apocryphal text. He added that Satan is not in the apocryphal gospels he referenced, but he included the adversary as part of telling an origin story.
Nicolas Cage stated he saw the film as a family drama about an existential crisis rather than a horror film. "I have always been drawn to movies about family. I couldn't think of a more compelling family dynamic than the nativity itself," Cage said. "As parents, we're all under immense pressure to protect and guide and to keep healthy and keep safe our children."
Cage emphasized, "Nobody wanted to offend anybody in the making of this movie. 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."
The American Family Association, a conservative Christian advocacy group, denounced the film and urged people to sign a petition blocking its release. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 36 percent approval rating based on 33 critic reviews.
The film was shot on 35mm in Greece, including locations in Sfakia, Preveli and Megara, in August and September 2024. During filming, Cage was reportedly attacked by a swarm of bees in one of the caves intended as a filming location.
THE CRUSADER'S OPINION
Hollywood made Jesus a horror movie.
Based on a rejected second century text that didn't make it into the Bible, "The Carpenter's Son" portrays teenage Jesus being tempted by Satan while grappling with supernatural powers he doesn't understand how to control morally.
This isn't Scripture. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas was excluded from the New Testament for good reasons: it contradicts the character of Christ revealed in the canonical Gospels.
Nicolas Cage insists they treated the subject "with love," but making a horror film about Jesus' youth is inherently disrespectful. You don't honor Christ by turning His childhood into R rated entertainment featuring demonic imagery and Satan as a teenage tempter.
The Bible is silent about Jesus' youth for a reason. God chose not to reveal those years. Hollywood's arrogance: "We'll fill in what God left out, and we'll make it scary."
Thirty six percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Even secular critics recognize this is bad.
Christians should not support this film with their money or attention.
TAKE ACTION
1. Boycott the film: Do not see "The Carpenter's Son" or support it financially. Speak with your wallet against Hollywood's exploitation of Christ for entertainment.
2. American Family Association: Support their petition against the film's release at www.afa.net or call +1 (662) 844 5036.
3. Support faithful Christian media: Invest in films that honor Scripture like "The Chosen" instead of apocryphal horror movies about Jesus.
4. Educate your church: Teach why the Infancy Gospel of Thomas was rejected from the biblical canon and why apocryphal texts should not be trusted as sources for Jesus' life.
