New film starring Jim Caviezel, James Faulkner and Olivier Martinez to be shot in Malta

James Faulkner, Jim Caviezel, Olivier Martinez, Joanne Whalley, and John Lynch are starring in historical drama “Paul, Apostle of Christ” with shooting starting in Malta, Variety has revealed.

According to Variety, the film is being produced by Sony through its faith-based Affirm Films label and directed by Andrew Hyatt from his own screenplay. Producers are David Zelon (“Soul Surfer”) and T.J. Berden (“Full of Grace”).

Variety reports that the story covers Paul, portrayed by Faulkner, going from the most infamous persecutor of Christians to Jesus Christ’s most influential apostle. The movie will follow his last days awaiting execution by Emperor Nero in Rome under the watchful eye of Mauritius, Mamertine Prison’s ambitious prefect, who seeks to understand how this broken old man can pose such a threat.

As his days grow shorter, Paul works from prison to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and embolden his followers to stand strong in their faith against Roman persecution.

“Next to Jesus, no one played a more central role in the growth of early church than the Apostle Paul,” Affirm Films executive vice president Rich Peluso told Variety. “He wrote a vast swath of the New Testament and traveled more than 10,000 miles by foot to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Berden added, “Paul changed from murdering Christians to becoming their unlikely leader. His life personifies ‘forgiveness,’ a concept that seems almost impossible today — but desperately needed. We at ODB Films are overjoyed to be working alongside Sony Affirm to share this much needed story with the world.”

The film is slated to release in 2018 through Affirm Films.