The new biblical animated film “The King of Kings” has stormed into theaters with a divine debut, racking up $14.6 million in ticket pre-sales ahead of its official release on Friday. Produced by Angel Studios—the company behind hits like “Sound of Freedom” and “The Chosen”—the film is already on track to surpass “The Prince of Egypt” (1998), which previously held the record for the highest-opening weekend for a biblical film at $14.5 million.
Angel Studios’ creative and family-friendly marketing strategy appears to be paying off. Their “Kids Go Free” campaign, which offers one free child’s ticket for every adult ticket purchased, helped boost advance sales to over one million tickets—an impressive feat for any film, let alone one rooted in biblical storytelling.
The film opens in more than 3,200 theaters across the U.S. this weekend and arrives with strong support from faith-based communities and family audiences.
Set against the imaginative backdrop of a father telling his son the story of Jesus, “The King of Kings” blends biblical truth with whimsical storytelling. The synopsis describes how what begins as a bedtime story becomes a life-changing journey: “Through vivid imagination, the boy walks alongside Jesus, witnessing His miracles, facing His trials, and understanding His ultimate sacrifice.”
Brandon Purdie, Global Head of Theatrical Distribution & Brand Development at Angel Studios, noted that the movie’s warm reception was no accident. “Just like ‘The Prince of Egypt’ drew families to theaters, our Angel Guild has supported this film through presales and strong word-of-mouth since it entered the Angel ecosystem,” Purdie told Deadline. “We hope ‘The King of Kings’ will become a part of the Easter tradition for families around the globe.”
On the red carpet, director Seong-Ho Jang shared that his motivation was deeply personal. Speaking through a translator, he said, “I felt the duty as a Christian to spread His word.” Jang also revealed his surprise that no major Hollywood studios stepped forward to take on such a project. “It was a miracle,” he said, that global stars like Uma Thurman and Pierce Brosnan joined the cast.
Voice actor Jim Cummings, who plays the Pharisee Hillel, said he was sold on the film the moment his agent described it as “the greatest story ever told.” Cummings—best known for voicing Winnie the Pooh —added that his Catholic upbringing, including time spent as an altar boy, made the project especially meaningful.
While “The King of Kings” currently holds a modest 66% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, audience reactions are overwhelmingly positive, with a 96% audience score as of opening weekend.
Critics have noted the film’s artistic charm, with The San Francisco Chronicle praising its “whimsical Dickensian touches.” The movie is based on “The Life of Our Lord,” a lesser-known work by Charles Dickens, written for his children. One critic called it “amusing and possibly enlightening Easter entertainment for younger children.”
Viewers echoed the praise. “A visually captivating animated film that brings the story of Jesus to life through the imaginative lens of Charles Dickens narrating to his son,” one audience member wrote. “The film’s heartfelt message of hope, love, and redemption resonates strongly with faith-based audiences.”
This comes on the heels of Disney’s “Snow White” live-action remake. After months of controversy surrounding casting decisions, script rewrites and a delayed release, early tracking numbers and social media sentiment paint a dim picture of the once-beloved fairy tale. Whereas “The King of Kings” drew in over $14.6 million in pre-sales and enthusiastic word-of-mouth before its release, “Snow White” has faced widespread backlash—including viral criticism of its perceived departure from the classic story—and lacks the grassroots momentum seen with Angel Studios’ faith-based hit. The juxtaposition highlights a growing divide in audience interests, as family-focused, values-driven content continues to outperform big-budget studio reboots with woke overtones that fail to resonate.
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That is great news and I hope they can break the record.
Victory Hooray, worldwide