Last month at CinemaCon, executives at faith-based film distributor Angel Studios told theater owners that they intend for “David,” an animated musical based on the life of the biblical prophet, to be “the most successful animated film of all time.”
But before “David” hits its Thanksgiving 2025 window, a slew of films led by Friday’s “Sight” must deliver on the promise laid forth by breakout 2023 hit “Sound of Freedom.”
The cockiness is understandable.
“Sound of Freedom” made the most of its July 4 release amid lower-than-expected turnout for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” sustaining substantial daily attendance that carried the thriller through the rest of the month before ending its domestic run at $184 million, making it the biggest non-major studio film in recent years.
Given the combination of Angel’s crowdfunding model through angel investors and pay-it-forward marketing schemes, the success of “Freedom” was a major profit win, stemming from a budget of just $14 million.
Still, Angel’s best film since then was March’s “Cabrini,” a biopic of Catholic missionary Francesca Cabrini that lacked the kind of moral-panic popularity associated with “Freedom” and grossed just under $20 million domestically.
That doesn’t mean Angel isn’t making the most of the faith-based film market. “Cabrini” did as well as 2024’s “Ordinary Angels” and “Unsung Hero” from Kingdom Story Company and distributor Lionsgate, making it a worthy competitor in the Christian-driven film market.
Likewise, its other films to date have cleared at least $10 million, including documentary “After Death,” which did better domestically than A24’s expensive surrealist-horror effort “Beau Is Afraid” last year.
Out tomorrow, “Sight” is another biographical effort, this time about Chinese immigrant and eye surgeon Ming Wang. While “Sight” does not appear to be explicitly faith-centric, Wang’s work did inspire a character in 2014’s “God’s Not Dead.” That film was one of the more successful titles in the lexicon of the Christian market and spawned several sequels at Pure Flix, now Pinnacle Peak Pictures, a company whose self-distributing business model was similar to Angel Studios and its VidAngel predecessor.
On top of that, Wang’s autobiography was highly critical of China and the Cultural Revolution, emphasizing the fusion of Christian themes and relevant national politics that worked so well for “Sound of Freedom.” A sequel for “Freedom” remains unconfirmed, but Angel is pushing forward regardless with its next hopeful Fourth of July hit in “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot,” which is unrelated to “Freedom.”
Even if “Sight” and “Sound of Hope” prove “Freedom” was a onetime sensation, Angel Studios is also busy on the TV side with a recently announced WWII-set limited series for 2025. Earlier, Angel was a fundraising and platform partner for Biblical series “The Chosen,” though it entered a legal dispute with the show’s production company that has delayed the show’s fourth season on streaming.
However, “The Chosen” did air the entirety of its fourth season in theaters through Fathom Events, further emphasizing the popularity of Christian content in cinemas.
Even if Angel Studios’ penchant for faith-based and/or politically conservative-tinged subject matter isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, the company’s support of theaters has undeniably worked in its favor, allowing its projects to attract Hollywood actors who aren’t otherwise politically outspoken. “Cabrini” starred John Lithgow, while “Sight” and “Sound of Hope” are led by Terry Chen and Elizabeth Mitchell, respectively.
This is in stark contrast to the Daily Wire, conservative pundit Ben Shapiro’s company, which makes and acquires films exclusively for its own Daily Wire+ streaming service. Shapiro tapped Gina Carano to star in 2022 western thriller “Terror on the Prairie” after she was fired from Disney’s “The Mandalorian” for political posts on social media. Since then, his company’s film efforts have become more insular.
The last Daily Wire film, “Lady Ballers,” mocked transgender athletes and women’s sports in general, with cameos from Daily Wire’s roster of pundits and Senator Ted Cruz. Aside from that film, the company streams original animated series intended for children, with characters voiced by outspoken conservative comics Rob Schneider and Adam Carolla, alongside anti-trans propaganda content like “What Is a Woman?” that Elon Musk permitted to stream on Twitter last year.
Even if Angel Studios fails to deliver another blockbuster, the company is still prioritizing far more accessible distribution means for its projects. Its No. 1 animated goal for “David” means the film will have to do better than top-shelf studio fare such as “Frozen” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”
But from Angel’s perspective, there is no property as old and established as the Bible.
