SOUND OF FREEDOM Edges Out Taylor Swift to Place Among 2023’s Top 10 Movies
By Movieguide® Contributor
Faith-based SOUND OF FREEDOM became a massive hit last summer to the shock of many, lifting it above TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR to place as the tenth highest-grossing movie of 2023.
SOUND OF FREEDOM grossed $184.1 million after its July 4 release and played in 3,411 different theaters. Meanwhile, TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR $179.6 million after releasing in mid-October to 3,855 theaters nationwide.
Two other high-profile releases were hot on SOUND OF FREEDOM’s tail as well, with INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE both grossing over $170 million. Both were summer releases coming out within weeks of SOUND OF FREEDOM.
With a strong international showing, SOUND OF FREEDOM made an impact beyond the U.S., despite being slated for domestic showings only upon initial release. Furthermore, Eduardo Verástegui, who appeared in and produced the movie, announced last summer that he is running for the president of Mexico in the 2024 election, with a SOUND OF FREEDOM-esc platform to “put an end to child trafficking” while focusing on “God, Fatherland and Family.”
SOUND OF FREEDOM was not the only faith-based movie to put up impressive numbers at the box office last year. JESUS REVOLUTION kicked off the year with an end-of-February release that led many to God and prompted some viewers to spontaneous baptisms immediately after the movie. JESUS REVOLUTION grossed $52.1 million as the No. 48 movie of the year.
THE BLIND, the story of DUCK DYNASTY’s patriarch Phil Robertson, also captured audiences last year. It tells the story of Robertson’s amazing return to faith after wrecking his marriage through infidelity and drunkenness. Despite bucking traditional rules for filmmaking, THE BLIND grossed $17.2 million, landing as the No. 80 movie of the year.
Other notable faith-based releases from the past year include AFTER DEATH ($11.4 million, No. 97), JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM ($6.8 million, No. 119) and COME OUT IN JESUS NAME ($2.5 million, No. 161).
Looking ahead to the upcoming year, 2024 has a promising slate of faith-based projects coming to the silver screen. The highly anticipated Season 4 of THE CHOSEN will debut all episodes in theaters. The first three episodes will be released on Feb. 1. Sight and Sound’s animated DANIEL will hit theaters this March, followed by FOR KING + COUNTRY’s UNSUNG HERO in April. The Kendrick brothers also have a new release, THE FORGE, slated for 2024, among other faith-based movies releasing this year.
Movieguide® previously reported:
In recent years, there has been an increasing trend in Hollywood to produce faith-based films that focus on religious themes and values.
While the trend has taken Hollywood by surprise, there are some clear-cut reasons for audiences’ renewed interest in uplifting entertainment.
The audience for faith-based films has grown, particularly among Christians. According to a study by Barna Group, a research organization that tracks religious trends.
“Four out of ten adults (41%) said that within the past two years they had seen a movie that had caused them to think more seriously about their religious faith,” the study stated.
This has created a demand for more films with religious themes.
