The first episode of this animated series for children rolls out next month.
Long before he became Israel's second monarch, and even before he defeated the giant warrior Goliath, David tended the sheep of his father, Jesse, in the hills around Bethlehem. That is where he began to hone the skills that would help him defeat the aforementioned Philistine and prepare himself to lead God's people, and it is this stage in his life that Young David portrays.
A project from Minno, Angel Studios, Slingshot Productions, and Sunrise Animation Studios, this is a five-episode series that "brings to life the growing-up years" of the future king, as a press release puts it. The animated program also promises to put "faith at the center of the screen for kids and families," as it "steps into David's early life as a teenage shepherd."
Slingshot productions and Minno - a subscription-based streaming service that bills itself as "The #1 source of Christian content for kids" - led development of the project, which will serve as a prequel to a full-length, animated feature film called David that is due out in 2025. The former king of Israel was, of course, referred to by God as a man after His own heart, and series executive producer Phil Cunningham is hopeful it will help draw young viewers to the Lord.
"We believe that Young David will ignite and inspire children to trust and explore, through relationship, the incredible character and heart of God."
The production will release one episode per month starting on November 10th, with the final one coming out in March of 2024. They will be available on the streaming platforms of Minno and Angel Studios, as well as on the latter's app. Until then, you can get a better feel for what to expect from the trailer below.