Bill O'Reilly's 'Killing Jesus' Film Adaptation Breaks Network Ratings Records

The film adaptation of Bill O'Reilly's book "Killing Jesus" broke ratings records for the National Geographic Channel Sunday night when it raked in 3.7 million viewers.

The high ratings proved to be the largest audience the network has ever had in one night. The National Geographic Channel said in a statement to Deadline that it had its highest ratings for its 8 p.m. slot since it premiered another film adaption of an O'Reilly book, "Killing Kennedy," in 2013.

While Sunday's premiere of the film received high ratings, the Fox network will offer an encore showing of the film on Friday at 8 p.m., as well as on Easter Sunday at 8 p.m.

The three-hour movie, which portrays Jesus' lifetime and Christianity in the modern world, had a cast that included Kelsey Grammar, Stephen Moyer, Eoin Macken, Rufus Sewell, Emmanuel Chriqui, and Haaz Sleiman, among others.

Before its premiere, the film reportedly received some poor reviews, which Fox News host and author Bill O'Reilly argued was an attack on Christian film making.

"The truth is, it is open season on Christians in America, and faith is not held in high esteem in the halls of Manhattan media operations," O'Reilly said on his Monday evening airing of "The O'Reilly Factor."

"A movie like 'Killing Jesus' is a noble endeavor, even if you didn't like it — even though some conservatives didn't like it either," he said. "But to see what actually happened to a good man, Jesus, who preached loving your neighbor and loving God above all, to see how he was abused and murdered historically, right before your eyes, is a powerful use of the motion picture concept."