Jesus Christ Is Winning at the Box Office
'King of Kings' rocks pre-sales while 'The Chosen' bullies past competitors
Mel Gibson’s long-awaited “The Passion of the Christ” sequel is still a year or two away from release.
That isn’t stopping other filmmakers from bringing Jesus Christ to the cineplex.
Angel Studios’ “The King of Kings” opens this weekend, an animated retelling of “the greatest story ever told.” And it’s already drawing a crowd.
The film has generated more than $14.6 million in pre-sales, according to the studio. The film opens on 3,200+ screens this weekend, giving it a shot to make much more from wide audiences.
Inspired by Charles Dickens, the film follows a father and son as they embark on an imaginative journey through the life of Jesus, delivering a fresh and heartfelt take on the greatest story ever told.
Directed by Seong-Ho Jang, the film features a starry cast – Kenneth Branagh as Charles Dickens, Uma Thurman as Catherine Dickens, Pierce Brosnan as Pontius Pilate, Forest Whitaker as Peter, Ben Kingsley as High Priest Caiaphas and Oscar Isaac as Jesus Christ.
Plus, Angel Studios’ “Kids Go Free” campaign could bring in more revenue. Families can receive up to one free children’s ticket with the purchase of a qualifying adult ticket by using the code KIDSGOFREE.
This weekend also marks the release of the latest installment from “The Chosen.” The first two features, based on episodes of the show’s fifth season, have performed well at the national box office.
“The Chosen: Last Supper Part 1” debuted in third place over the March 28 weekend with $11.8 million on just 2,200+ screens. The following weekend, “Part 2” earned nearly $7 million for another third-place finish. “Part 1” has generated $18.8 million in just two weeks of release.
The film industry could use this faith-based booster shot.
Hollywood has endured some high-profile flops in recent weeks, including “Mickey 17” and “Snow White.” Both are expected to lose tens of millions for their respective studios.
Robert De Niro’s “The Alto Knights,” with a reported budget of $45 million, has earned just $9.5 million globally.
Kids go free is a smart move. Reminds me of the per car pricing of some drive-in theaters.
As a parent whose kids are in HS and beyond but sees 1-3 films a week in the theater (thank you A-List!) this was a nice way to present a familiar story; father telling his son a story. Similar in some ways to the Princess Bride but much more interwoven into the narrative in a way that can be done with animation.
If you have kids I recommend it, even if they are out of the house.
Jesus sells! Films about faith used to be more common (as was Hollywood’s respect or at least acknowledgment of it.)