Jordin Sparks has been cast in the movie Left Behind, based on the popular series of Christian-themed books based on the Rapture and it’s apocalyptic aftermath. The film stars Nicolas Cage and Chad Michael Murray. Ashley Tisdale was set to play the female lead, Chloe Steele, but she had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Check out the Facebook and Official Website.
The role the American Idol season 6 winner is set to play is being “kept under wraps” but it appears to be some sort of supporting role:
As filming for “Left Behind” in Baton Rouge heats up, the cast and crew of Left Behind welcomes the beautiful and talented actress/singer Jordin Sparks to the cast!
Sparks’ character is named Shasta, but for the most part her role is being kept under wraps. “Left Behind” producer Paul Lalonde will say that “She will be a passenger on a plane that the film’s main character Captain Rayford Steele (Nicolas Cage) is piloting.”
You can read the movie synopsis here. Briefly, a world wide catastrophe occurs after millions of people disappear, leaving behind, family and friends, not to mentions cars, trains and planes in motion. The world plunges into a post–apocalyptic nightmare. Nicholas Cage is piloting a plane that he is desperately trying to land amid chaos.
The Left Behind series is hugely popular book series in Evangelical Christian circles, but outside of it? Not so much. This is definitely a niche film, but could make money if it’s marketed cleverly to its intended audience.
At any rate…congrats Jordin.
ETA: A movie Left Behind based on the book was released with infamous Christian, Kirk Cameron, in the lead. The movie got scathing reviews and barely made back its budget, according to Wikipedia.
ETA: The co-author of the Left Behind series, Tim LaHaye, has read the script for the new movie and is not a fan, “It’s probably the worst script I’ve ever read,” LaHaye told the Christian Post. “And I’ve read scores of them.” He added, “The plot line is nothing like the book. The only thing they retain are the names of the people, and maybe places,”
The production company releasing the film is headed by Paul Lalonde, who also headed the company that released the original Left Behind movie, and its sequels. LaHaye was locked in a 10 year legal battle with Lalonde stemming from what the author felt was a failure to market the movie properly.
