It’s been a good month at the box office for faith-based entertainment.
Faith-based theatrical releases “The King of Kings” and “The Chosen” experienced continued success at the box office over the weekend, while Prime Video’s “House of David” concluded in April on a high.
The string of success for faith-based content during the past month follows an expanding trend favoring religious media.
Faith-based studios, such as Angel Studios, 5&2 Studios and The Wonder Project, have been releasing faith-based content at a growing rate, appealing to massive audiences.
5&2 Studios’ biblical drama, “The Chosen,” has now reached more than 280 million viewers in 175 countries, as previously reported by the Deseret News.
“Faith-based shows have proved profitable for several reasons. The first is that they are relatively cheap and simple to make. The story of Jesus does not rely on many special effects (water, even when it turns into wine, is not expensive); nor do they need big-name celebrities,” The Economist reported.
“They can also tap into a large audience — some 2.4 billion people globally identify as Christian."
Here is a look at the success of faith-based media-of-the-moment, “The King of Kings,” “The Chosen” and “House of David.”
‘The King of Kings’ record-breaking debut
Angel Studios’ animated movie about Jesus Christ, “The King of Kings,” was the third highest performing movie over Easter weekend, per Box Office Mojo.
“The King of Kings” made more than $17.2 million in ticket sales during the weekend, pushing the movie’s domestic earnings over $45 million.
During its debut weekend (April 11-13), “The King of Kings” broke the record for highest-grossing debut for an animated biblical film. The record was previously held by DreamWorks’ 1998 movie, “Prince of Egypt,” per Collider.
Angel Studios co-founder Jordan Harmon said there was “no question” the weekend leading to Easter was the proper time to release “The King of Kings,” per Variety.
“This movie is really ‘The Passion’ for kids. We did an early screening, and I watched multiple kids walk out with tears on their face,” Harmon told Variety.
“They’re having this massively fundamental, moving moment inside of the cinema and its communal experience, and they’re feeling so much power and emotion that they’re getting this beautiful relationship developed even more towards a love towards Christ.”
‘The Chosen’ franchise clears $100 million
With a mega-boost from the theatrical release of the fifth season, “The Chosen” franchise has now generated more than $100 million at the box office, the Deseret News previously reported.
The series’ fifth installment, “The Chosen: Last Supper,” opened in theaters through a phased three-part release. Part 1 generated a bulk of the series’ earnings, raking in more than $20 million at the domestic box office, followed by Part 2 with $12 million in earnings and Part 3 with $11 million.
“Last Supper” is now the highest performing installment of the biblical drama, grossing more than $42.4 million in domestic ticket sales, as reported by Deadline.
The fifth season’s box office performance outdid creator Dallas Jenkins’ expectations.
“I was going to be really happy with $10m (we did $7.4m last year),” Jenkins said in a statement shared with the Deseret News, following the fifth season’s debut weekend.
He then thanks fans for supporting the series’ theatrical release.
“If you’re one of the faces we saw in theaters this weekend: thank you. Your support sends a huge message to media and makes it easier for storytellers like us to share impactful stories,” Jenkins added. “It also generates more interest and eyeballs. And more important, I just hope the episodes are impacting you.”
‘House of David’
Within its first 17 days on Prime Video, “House of David” attracted more than 22 million views, reported News Nation.
The biblical drama series, which premiered in March, depicts the Old Testament story of King David. It was renewed for a second season ahead of the Season 1 finale, per Variety.
The Wonder Project’s “House of David” lived in Prime Video’s top 10 for several consecutive weeks, and took the number two position for most-watched series on Prime, per Forbes.
“We are humbled by the extraordinary reaction this show has earned from the faith audience worldwide,” the series’ directors Jon Erwin and Jon Gunn wrote in a joint statement, per Forbes.
“Thanks to them and our partners at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, Wonder Project will bring more of the Bible and this epic saga to a global audience. Congratulations to our incredible cast and crew.”