Brother Joseph Again

Brother Joseph Again is a feature-length documentary directed by Daylen Pollard that chronicles a 25-year investigation by independent researcher Patrick A. Bishop and classical/forensic artist Joseph F. Brickey into one of Mormon history's most debated questions: what did Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, really look like — and was he ever photographed? The film opens by framing the nearly two-century-old puzzle: no authenticated photograph of Smith has ever been officially recognized, yet multiple portraits, death masks, and candidate images exist, each with conflicting claims. Bishop and Brickey walk viewers through their methodical, evidence-driven inquiry, examining a disputed 1840s daguerreotype found in a gold locket by researcher Dan Larsen (the 'Smith-Larsen daguerreotype'), historical oil portraits by David Rogers and Sutcliffe Maudsley, Joseph Smith's death mask and skull-based reconstructions, and imagery of Hyrum Smith for comparative anatomy. Using forensic facial comparison techniques and daguerreotype-specific analysis, the researchers argue that Rogers' oil portrait stylizes Smith's features rather than representing them accurately, while Maudsley's side-profile likenesses prove more anatomically reliable. They contend that the daguerreotype subject cannot be Hyrum Smith because a distinctive mole visible in Hyrum's confirmed portraits is absent — and that structural facial features of the daguerreotype subject align with Smith's death mask. Brickey, applying his skills as a forensic artist, then creates new sculptural and painted likenesses of Smith that synthesize the daguerreotype, the death mask, and the Maudsley portraits into what he and Bishop believe is the most accurate representation of Smith's face ever produced. The documentary concludes with the researchers presenting their case that the Smith-Larsen daguerreotype is a forensic match to Joseph Smith, though it acknowledges that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not endorsed their conclusions, and that definitive proof remains elusive. The film is framed as a faith-filled as well as scholarly journey, presenting the investigation as both a historical detective story and a devotional act of restoration. Coverage is based entirely on pre-release promotional materials as the film has not yet released (theatrical release: October 9, 2026).

Sources: Deseret News, MormonLifeHacker, WebSearch aggregated results (AMC Theatres, TV Guide, Eventbrite, Utah Film Commission, Age Rating Juju)