Is it ok to say, 2014/2015 has been growth year for faith-based movies by the outcome of box office ratings and tons of positive reviews its getting. It is also true to say past years haven’t been that great for faith-based movies due to lack of content, declining interest, low budget etc. Not just in the United States, but across the globe. A Christian advocacy group research, published recently shows that in the top 10 – 25 category of movies that are best sellers, faith-based movies averaged $87 million USD at the box office.
War Room staying at # 1 at the box office is a testament to the growth and acceptance of faith and family oriented movies. We live in a world where there is an ever change taste for something different. Economic and social rumbling, global warming, times and trends are leading towards touching lives positively in any shape or form possible. Music, movies, publications you name it; the earth is yearning for some kind of imprint that goes beyond the norm of every day excitement or fantasy. Social networking, Vines, gaming and other source of fun filled platforms are launched almost everyday, there is more than a enough to keep anyone occupied but not a enough to really speak to the heart of personal or faith and family based issues.
Faith-Based movies going mainstream is a welcome change and a blueprint for others to follow. “God’s Not Dead” production cost estimate at $2 million, brought in close to $61 million in domestic gross sales. In 2011, “Courageous” bucked in $34 million, and it also had an estimated $2 million budget. Leading us to War Room “a compelling drama with humor and heart that explores the power that prayer can have on marriages, parenting, careers, friendships, and every other area of our lives.” The Christian drama topped the four-day Labor Day weekend with $12.6 million in just over 1,500 theaters, according to box-office tracking firm Rentrak. Produced with a budget of just $3.5 million, the movie has earned $27.9 million in two weeks.
Dergarabedian says. “There is a huge market for faith-based movies and Sony took perfect advantage of the date, so they didn’t get lost in the summer shuffle. If this came out a week or two within Jurassic World, it might be a different story.”
It is my hope that more movie producers will put in extra effort to producing more family & faith-based movies, the upside is great and there is a positive response to it from all works of life.
