Christianity rules the U.S. Box Office once again.
Angel Studios’ new animated biblical film “The King of Kings” has already sold a staggering $17 million in presale tickets ahead of its latest nationwide release, positioning it to shatter the opening weekend record for animated biblical films previously held by DreamWorks’ “The Prince of Egypt.”
Opening in more than 3,200 theaters today, box office analysts project the film could exceed $25 million through Sunday – and that’s before the upcoming Easter weekend, when faith-based films traditionally see a significant jump in attendance.
“Just like the ‘Prince of Egypt’ drew families to theatres, our Angel Guild has supported this film through presales and strong word-of-mouth since it entered the Angel ecosystem,” said Brandon Purdie, Global Head of Theatrical Distribution & Brand Development at Angel Studios. “Charles Dickens had a tradition of sharing this story with his family and we hope that ‘The King of Kings’ will become a part of the Easter tradition for families around the globe.”
The film’s success has been bolstered by Angel’s “Kids go Free” campaign, which allows one free child’s ticket with each adult ticket purchase. Over one million tickets have been presold, easily outpacing Angel Studios’ previous blockbuster “Sound of Freedom,” which went on to earn nearly $250 million domestically.
Written and directed by Korean filmmaker and VFX expert Seong-ho Jang, “The King of Kings” features an impressive voice cast including Oscar Isaac as Jesus, Kenneth Branagh as Charles Dickens, Uma Thurman as Catherine Dickens, Pierce Brosnan as Pontius Pilate, Mark Hamill as King Herod, Forest Whitaker as Peter, and Ben Kingsley as High Priest Caiaphas.
The film, touted as the first major animated biblical film since 1998’s “The Prince of Egypt,” is loosely based on Charles Dickens’ “The Life of Our Lord.” It employs a creative framing device where Charles Dickens tells his son Walter “the greatest story ever told” after the boy expresses fascination with legendary sword-wielding kings.
As Dickens unfolds the Gospel narrative, Walter and his cat are immersed in the story – a technique that softens potentially frightening scenes for younger viewers. The film doesn’t shy away from powerful biblical moments, including Jesus casting out demons, the raising of Lazarus, and the Passion of Christ. The crucifixion scenes tastefully suggest violence just outside the frame without directly showing it.
The movie has earned a 66% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, while audience scores are reportedly exceptional, indicating strong word-of-mouth potential.
“The King of Kings” arrives amid a revival in Christian-focused entertainment, following the massive success of “The Chosen” television series.