Jesus Movies Dominate as 3 Bible-Based Films Hit Top 10 at Box Office
Movies
Audio By Carbonatix
6:05 AM on Monday, April 14
By Michael Foust, Movies
Bible-based movies scored big at the box office over the weekend, led by an animated movie that broke records for a faith-based title. Angel Studio's The King of Kings outperformed expectations to finish second with an estimated $19,050,397 -- the best opening for a faith-based film in the post-pandemic era and the fourth-best of all time, trailing only The Passion of the Christ (2004, $83.8 million), The Son of God (2014, $25.6 million) and Heaven Is for Real (2014, $22.5 million).
It's the best opening for a faith-based movie in more than a decade. Moviegoers gave it a perfect A+ CinemaScore grade.
"We're thrilled to see The King of Kings connect so deeply with audiences," said Brandon Purdie, Angel's global head of theatrical distribution and brand development. "This film is a testament to the power of storytelling 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 King of Kings was inspired by a Charles Dickens book and depicts the legendary author taking his young son, Walter, on an imaginary journey back in time as they learn about Jesus. It surpassed The Prince of Egypt ($14.5 million) for the biggest opening ever by a Bible-based animated film.
But it wasn't the only biblical film to break into the Top 10.
The Chosen: Last Supper Part 3 debuted at 6 ($5.8 million), while The Chosen: Last Supper Part 2 -- in its second weekend -- landed at No. 10 ($931,684). The episodes serve as the closing chapters of The Chosen Season 5.
Dallas Jenkins, the creator and director of The Chosen, took notice of the rare sight: three Bible-themed films ranking in the Top 10.
"Jesus is having quite a weekend at the box office," Jenkins wrote on social media. "Congrats to the film 'King of Kings' for a huge debut, and it'll well surpass our Jesus project (the more the merrier); the movie looks great."
Jon Erwin, director of Prime Video's House of David, also celebrated the feat.
"Incredible! THREE of the top ten slots at the box office are occupied by projects about JESUS!" Erwin wrote. "I've never seen a moment like this before in our industry."
Photo Credit: ©5&2 Studios/Angel Studios/5&2 Studios
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
