By Gavin Boyle
Angel Studios announced that DAVID enjoyed the highest grossing faith-based animated theatrical opening of all time with a weekend opening just north of $22 million.
“Families are searching for values-driven films that honor hope, and our Angel Guild members embraced DAVID from the very beginning,” Angel’s head of theatrical, Brandon Purdie, said in a press release. “We greatly value the support of our outstanding exhibitors and look forward to a robust, extended theatrical run as this popular animated musical continues to warm hearts and inspire families this Christmas.”
Related: Why Families Won’t Want to Miss This Bible Movie Coming to Theaters
King David’s timeless story connected strongly with audiences, and the amazing animation and fun songs helped engage children with the story. The $22 million opening weekend gross means the movie outperformed PRINCE OF EGYPT and Angel’s KING OF KINGS during their first weekend in theaters. If the final success of these two movies are any indication of where DAVID is headed, then the future is bright as KING OF KINGS ended its theatrical run just shy of $80 million worldwide, while PRINCE OF EGYPT went on to gross $218 million in 1998.
“King David – one of the greatest stories ever told – is powerfully reimagined for the big screen with this epic family musical,” said David L. Hunt, co-Founder and Chief Creative and Content Officer at 2521 Entertainment, who collaborated on the movie with Angel. “Kids will grow up fondly remembering how their parents took them to the theater to experience this film. Moments like these become family memories that can last a lifetime.”
Thankfully, the story stays true to the Biblical portrayal of David and even explores parts of his life beyond Goliath, exposing audiences to lesser known parts of his journey. A portion of Movieguide®’s review reads:
DAVID is an entertaining, stirring, heartwarming biblical tale of David as he matures. Displaying a powerful biblical worldview, DAVID is a shining example of Scripture filmed artfully for the big screen, with next-level animation and engaging music. The story sticks to the Bible, often honors God, and has Christian allusions. The movie’s suitable for older viewers, but scenes with violence and scary characters will frighten young children. So, MOVIEGUIDE® recommends DAVID for older children and adults.
It is amazing to see how faith-based content has become such a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. From the popularity of THE CHOSEN and HOUSE OF DAVID to the theatrical success of movies like SOUND OF FREEDOM and DAVID, audiences continue to prove that they crave uplifting, Christians stories, and Hollywood has become more open to delivering them. May DAVID continue to have success at the box office and share with audiences what a life can look like when lived with the Lord.
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