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Bill O'Reilly

Exclusive: First five minutes of 'Killing Jesus'

Patrick Ryan
USA TODAY
First look: 'Killing Jesus' coming on National Geographic Channel in 2015.

This isn't your grandparents' swords-and-sandals Jesus story.

In Bill O'Reilly's Killing Jesus, an adaptation of his bestselling book premiering Sunday (National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m. ET/PT), the Son of God is less divine prophet than he is political agitator. Focusing on the movement he created leading up to his crucifixion, the Ridley Scott-produced Jesus follows in the footsteps of O'Reilly's other Nat Geo specials Killing Lincoln and Killing Kennedy. It stars Muslim actor Haaz Sleiman in the title role (a source of some early controversy), Kelsey Grammar as King Herod and Stephen Moyer as Pontius Pilate.

In the movie's first five minutes, premiering exclusively on USATODAY.com, Herod (Grammar) calls upon priests after awaking from a prophetic nightmare, in which he is told a new king will overtake him. Unbeknownst to him, it is the very same night Jesus is born.

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