‘Come Sunday’ Director Joshua Marston On His Subject Having Faith In Him – Sundance Studio

Before the Sundance Film festival premiere of Come Sunday, helmer Joshua Marston, along with stars Condola Rashad and Jason Segel, stopped by Deadline’s Sundance Studio speak tackling the true story of the charismatic Bishop Carlton Pearson, who dared to defy the traditional ideology of Christianity.

Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as the renowned Oklahoma evangelical minister who stirs up controversy with his revelation that there is no Hell.

“What struck me first was intellectual. Here’s a guy who’s questioning the existence of Hell and what does that mean?” said Marston, who discovered Pearson’s story through a 2005 radio episode titled This American Life.

But beyond that, what peaked Marston’s interest in telling Pearson’s story was not only his “incredible knowledge of the Bible and his passion for what he’s preaching about” but also his sense of humor. “He is funny” and “self-deprecating.”

The film marked the first time Marston had tackled a story based on a person who is still living. “Carlton was so generous in the making of this movie,” he said, sharing that Pearson had no oversight of the film’s production. “He was just having faith and trust in me and in the screenwriter (Marcus Hinchey) and all of the producers and the actors to tell the best version of his story possible.”

Also starring Danny Glover, Martin Sheen, and Lakeith Stanfield, the pic will be available to stream on Netflix April 13.

See the interview above.

The Deadline Studio is presented by Hyundai. Special thanks to Calii Love.