An animated movie about the life of Jesus has stunned the US box office when it opened at 3,200 cinemas across the nation at the weekend.
The Angel Studios release The King of Kings reached second spot, well behind the Minecraft blockbuster but taking in more than A$30 million.
It is the highest-grossing debut of a faith-based animated film since The Prince of Egypt in 1998.
It resonated with American audiences, earning an A+ rating on CinemaScore and reaching 97% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
“A MASSIVE AUDIENCE FOR STORIES THAT INSPIRE AND UPLIFT”
“We’re thrilled to see The King of Kings connect so deeply with audiences,” said Brandon Purdie, Angel Studios’ Global Head of Theatrical Distribution & Brand Development.
“This film is a testament to the power of story-telling that amplifies light and brings families together.”
“Our Angel Guild and global community of supporters have once again shown that there’s a massive audience eager for stories that inspire and uplift.”
The movie was written and directed by South Korean filmmaker Seong-ho Jang and produced by Mofac Animation, a South Korean visual-effects studio.
It features the voices of well-known actors including Pierce Brosnan, Kenneth Branagh, Forest Whitaker, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac and Uma Thurman.
FILM BASED ON BOOK BY 19TH CENTURY NOVELIST CHARLES DICKENS
The film is based on a little known Charles Dickens tale that was so deeply personal to the novelist and his family that it was never published until after the last of his children died in the 1930s.
The book, written in the 1840s and titled The Life of Our Lord, depicts Charles telling his son Walter about a kind and humble king who gave his life for mankind.
The author read it to his children every Christmas.
Film reviewer Peter T. Chattaway wrote in Christianity Today that; “Despite the focus on Dickens and his family, the film doesn’t owe a whole lot to the book.”
He adds: “The basic beats are all here: the birth of Jesus, his childhood in Nazareth, his visit to the temple when he was 12, his baptism by John the Baptist, some of his more famous miracles, and finally the events of Holy Week, including his death and resurrection.”
“It often fills in details that Dickens left out, it emphasises a different set of themes, and it is even more theologically orthodox (more Christian, one might say) than the original book.”
A BIG WEEKEND FOR FAITH-BASED MOVIES
Overall, it was a big weekend for faith-based films.
The Chosen: Last Supper saw its latest movie-length chapter finish in the No. 6 spot, while its previous release snuck into the Top Ten.
Podcaster Raymond Arroyo told Fox News it is a clear sign that American audiences yearn for faith-based content and movie-makers are responding.
“They’ve smartly identified and understood that there is a massive under-served audience of faithful people looking for depictions of faith on the screen.”
“You also have families with very few options of alternative places to take their family to be entertained,” the podcaster explained.
FILMMAKERS HAIL THE SUCCESS OF CHRISTIAN MOVIES
Creator and director of The Chosen Dallas Jenkins posted: “Jesus is having quite a weekend at the box office. Congrats to King of Kings for a huge debut.“
Jon Erwin, director of the House of David series added: “Incredible! THREE of the top ten slots at the box office are occupied by projects about JESUS!”
“I’ve never seen a moment like this before in our industry.”
The King of Kings has been released in Australia with minimal screen time and promotion.
That’s in stark contrast to the first chapter of The Chosen: Last Supper which was No 5. at the local box office over the weekend.
