To Caesar What Is Caesar’s: Divine Inspiration and Dollar Signs in Hollywood’s Religious Production Boom
“Yes! I see the light!” The scene unfolding between the studios and glass-walled offices high in Hollywood echoes the iconic moment in The Blues Brothers, where John Belushi, bathed in divine blue light, dances down the church aisle, touched by God. After a series of box office successes by Christian filmmakers, faith-based movies are now making a significant impact in Hollywood, attracting millions in investments.
Key successes have turned this sector into a hotbed of activity. The Chosen, a multi-season TV drama about the life of Jesus and his apostles, has become one of the most popular series globally. Jesus Revolution, a film by Jon Erwin about a pastor and a hippie evangelist sparking a wave of enthusiastic Christians, drew audiences to theaters in early 2023, grossing around $54 million. Sound of Freedom, a thriller about child trafficking with no overt religious themes, captivated religious viewers and grossed $250 million worldwide on a $15 million budget, becoming a box office phenomenon second only to “Barbenheimer” last summer.
These unexpected hits sent a message to Hollywood, which has struggled to engage broad audiences beyond blockbuster franchises and adaptations of famous properties. Here were movies and shows that resonated with heartland viewers and, in some cases, were financed by them. Fans of The Chosen cover most of the show’s production budget, which reached $40 million in its fourth season. Angel Studios, a distributor behind both The Chosen and Sound of Freedom, raises funds for its theatrical releases through public offerings, giving crowdfunders a share of ticket sales.
The movement behind these successes— the Heartlandia wave—claims to represent a large but underserved audience disenchanted with the dystopian dramas and grim antiheroes prevalent in pop culture. Major studios and streaming services are taking notice. Amazon MGM Studios and Netflix are investing in and collaborating with religion-focused creators and independent studios. The Wonder Project, founded by Erwin with the King Midas of horror movies, Jason Bloom, has already raised over $100 million to produce ‘values-driven’ content. Their debut production, House of David is backed by Amazon MGM Studios and is set to premiere with an eight-episode season on Prime Video in early 2025.
Erwin, 42, spent nearly two decades making low-budget films in the faith-based realm, and is now part of a group of filmmakers, producers, and independent studios breaking into the mainstream. This emerging trend provides an alternative to an industry often dominated by blockbuster franchises and adaptations. Thinking of the Golden Age of Ben Hur at Cinecittà, it’s clear that Italian production must pay attention.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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“Yes! I see the light!” The scene unfolding between the studios and glass-walled offices high in Hollywood echoes the iconic moment in The Blues Brothers, where John Belushi, bathed in divine blue light, dances down the church aisle, touched by God. After a series of box office successes by Christian filmmakers, faith-based movies are now making a significant impact in Hollywood, attracting millions in investments.
Key successes have turned this sector into a hotbed of activity. The Chosen, a multi-season TV drama about the life of Jesus and his apostles, has become one of the most popular series globally. Jesus Revolution, a film by Jon Erwin about a pastor and a hippie evangelist sparking a wave of enthusiastic Christians, drew audiences to theaters in early 2023, grossing around $54 million. Sound of Freedom, a thriller about child trafficking with no overt religious themes, captivated religious viewers and grossed $250 million worldwide on a $15 million budget, becoming a box office phenomenon second only to “Barbenheimer” last summer.
These unexpected hits sent a message to Hollywood, which has struggled to engage broad audiences beyond blockbuster franchises and adaptations of famous properties. Here were movies and shows that resonated with heartland viewers and, in some cases, were financed by them. Fans of The Chosen cover most of the show’s production budget, which reached $40 million in its fourth season. Angel Studios, a distributor behind both The Chosen and Sound of Freedom, raises funds for its theatrical releases through public offerings, giving crowdfunders a share of ticket sales.
The movement behind these successes— the Heartlandia wave—claims to represent a large but underserved audience disenchanted with the dystopian dramas and grim antiheroes prevalent in pop culture. Major studios and streaming services are taking notice. Amazon MGM Studios and Netflix are investing in and collaborating with religion-focused creators and independent studios. The Wonder Project, founded by Erwin with the King Midas of horror movies, Jason Bloom, has already raised over $100 million to produce ‘values-driven’ content. Their debut production, House of David is backed by Amazon MGM Studios and is set to premiere with an eight-episode season on Prime Video in early 2025.
Erwin, 42, spent nearly two decades making low-budget films in the faith-based realm, and is now part of a group of filmmakers, producers, and independent studios breaking into the mainstream. This emerging trend provides an alternative to an industry often dominated by blockbuster franchises and adaptations. Thinking of the Golden Age of Ben Hur at Cinecittà, it’s clear that Italian production must pay attention.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Share:
Hollywood's 10 Percent Problem: Is the Film Industry Too Risk-Averse?
