Some completely missed the mark
When it comes to filmmaking, risks are often taken, and these include offending some people. Hollywood has its fair share of biblical epics, but for some people and religious groups, the line has been crossed in many of them. From accusations of anti-Semitism, to blasphemy and historical inaccuracies, many biblical movies have been heavily criticized over the years.
Browse through this gallery to discover the most controversial biblical movies of all time.
This Oscar-winning animated film was quite successful, but 'The Prince of Egypt' also ruffled some feathers.
In general, it was seen as an attack on Egyptians by "Jewish-dominated Hollywood." An Egyptian newspaper went as far as calling it an "Israeli misery."
Martin Scorsese's troubled relationship with the Roman Catholic Church is present in many of his films, but 'The Last Temptation of Christ' is probably the most controversial one.
Scorsese made Jesus a bit too human in the movie, and this really upset some people. In Paris, France, a theater was set on fire because they were showing Scorsese's movie!
Tread carefully when you mix religion and Mel Gibson. And like its director and co-writer, this movie is no stranger to controversy (particularly anti-Semitic connotations).
The Anti-Defamation League described 'The Passion of the Christ' as an "unambiguous portrayal of Jews as being responsible for the death of Jesus."
The follow-up to 'The Bible' miniseries was a hit. Though they had to remove scenes featuring Satan, because the character resembled then-President Barack Obama a bit too much.
Some people also couldn't get over the fact that Jesus Christ (Diogo Morgado) was so attractive. #hotjesus was a thing!
'Twilight' director Catherine Hardwicke took a shot at telling the story of the birth of Jesus. But then there was a problem with the Virgin Mary...
The movie caused outrage when the actress playing the Virgin Mary, Keisha Castle-Hughes, fell pregnant out of wedlock at the age of 16.
This Ridley Scott movie starring Christian Bale tells the story of Moses and his escape from Egypt.
The movie was poorly received in general, mostly for whitewashing and historical inaccuracies. Egyptian Culture Minister Gaber Asfour said the movie was "rife with mistakes, including an apparent claim that 'Moses and the Jews built the pyramids'."
Director Darren Aronofsky's take on the classic biblical story of Noah and the great flood caused a bit of a stir.
This was confirmed by test screenings with Christian audiences, where about 10-20% of people had severe criticisms about the film, according to the director.
The British comedy troupe really upset numerous religious organizations with their comedic biblical movie. The Catholic archdiocese of New York called it a "crime against religion which holds the person of Christ up to comic ridicule."
Three Jewish organizations also condemned the film, with leaders describing it as "a vicious attack on Judaism and the Bible."
This Broadway show adaptation into a movie depicted Jesus and Judas, among other characters, in a very human, mortal way.
Benjamin R. Epstein of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith noted that an "emphasis on a Jewish mob's demand to kill Jesus can feed into the kind of disparagement of Jews and Judaism which has always nurtured anti-Jewish prejudice and bigotry."
"Anyone who has ever seen cowboy films knows that the good guys wear white hats and the bad guys wear black. Here the actor portraying Jesus is blond; Judas is black; the priests and rabbis are dark-haired, foreboding, and garbed in black," he added.
Despite being directed by conservative Catholic Franco Zeffirelli, the movie still upset some viewers.
The film was considered blasphemous by American fundamentalist Protestant leader Bob Jones III.
This comedy starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as two fallen angels wasn't very well received by Catholic groups.
The American Catholic organization 'Catholic League,' for instance, denounced the film as "blasphemy."
Depicting a holy blessing such as stigmata as a sort of curse in a horror movie just couldn't go down well with Catholic audiences.
'Rebel Without a Cause' director Nicholas Ray received critical acclaim for this biblical epic. But not every film critic was a fan.
One critic described it as a "gigantic fraud" that had "crucial falsifications." Adding that "while Christ is there in His physical presence...His spirit is absent."
Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem star in this horror movie with heavy biblical connotations.
One film critic describes a scene as "deliberately grotesque and nauseating, and seemingly engineered to outrage Christians, especially Catholics."
This silent film is about the last days of Jesus before he's crucified. Caiaphus, a Jew, can be identified as the main villain, and as you can imagine, this didn't go down well with some Jewish leaders.
Director Cecille B. DeMille, however, responded to the criticisms saying: "The very men who read prejudice into the picture are themselves storing up material for anti-Semitic propaganda. ... 'The King of Kings' does not in any manner encourage such prejudice."
This 1912 silent movie, actually shot in Jerusalem, was controversial for being made "to make American producers rich," according to The Daily Mail at the time. "Is nothing sacred to the film maker?" the newspaper questioned.
Sources: (Grunge) (Variety) (CNN) (Vanity Fair)
See also: Who's your favorite onscreen Jesus?
Notable biblical movies that sparked controversy
Some have been considered blasphemous and anti-Semitic
MOVIES Religious films
When it comes to filmmaking, risks are often taken, and these include offending some people. Hollywood has its fair share of biblical epics, but for some people and religious groups, the line has been crossed in many of them. From accusations of anti-Semitism, to blasphemy and historical inaccuracies, many biblical movies have been heavily criticized over the years.
Browse through this gallery to discover the most controversial biblical movies of all time.