New biblical film His Only Son is hitting the big screen on Friday as the first nationwide theatrical release to be crowdfunded.
The film depicts the biblical account of when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.
NEW BIBLICAL FILM DAVID SURPASSES RECORD SET BY THE CHOSEN
Director David Helling said he hopes films like His Only Son raise the standard for the quality of artistry expected of biblical films.
“Maybe it’s due to a lack of budget, but that’s really not an excuse to not do quality work,” Helling told the Washington Examiner. “I think we’re now seeing more of a higher level of artistry coming out of people wanting to tell a narrative that is, you know, a faith narrative.”
“I didn’t set out to do Christian films,” Helling added. “I set out to do biblical films because they’re for the sake of the gospel — not the typical Hallmark with a Jesus tinge over it.”
His Only Son is being distributed by Angel Studios, the same platform behind The Chosen.
“We know [people] are eager for the kind of stories Angel has to offer, so we’ve worked hard to reach families and let them know they have a home at Angel,” Angel Studios CEO and co-founder Neal Harmon said. “The audience is finding that home, and they’re showing up to support both our projects and projects from friends like [Jesus Revolution director] Jon Erwin that also amplify light. It’s a thrilling time to be in this space.”
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Jesus Revolution, which features Frasier star Kelsey Grammer in the role of Southern California pastor Chuck Smith, who invites hippies into his church, beginning the real-life Christian movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s, has more than quadrupled original earning expectations by grossing nearly $50 million domestically.
Angel Studios announced earlier in March that crowdfunding for His Only Son reached capacity in 100 hours. As a result, Harmon said Angel Studios was “at least tripling the theater count nationwide.”
