The newest film by Angel Studios has proven to be a winner for families and audiences, as the film just scored the biggest opening weekend for any animated faith-based film.
The King of Kings, which follows a father telling his young son the story of Jesus Christ, opened at $19 million across 3,200 theaters in North America, putting it ahead of The Prince of Egypt’s $14.5 million opening in 1998 for the best opening for animated films based on the Bible. The film also got mostly positive reviews from critics and rave reviews from audiences, getting a 97% approval rating from the latter group on Rotten Tomatoes and earning the coveted A+ rating from CinemaScore.
“The Angel Guild picks winners,” said Brandon Purdie, Global Head of Theatrical Distribution & Brand Development at Angel. “Angel’s revolutionary idea is simple: know your audience – and listen to them. The CinemaScore for The King of Kings says it all. The film is one of only 128 films to achieve an A+ CinemaScore, and only the 5th animated film to hold that title that isn’t a Pixar/Disney production. Families want quality films to see together in theaters. This weekend simply reflects what audiences are craving.”
The film held up well against fellow competing family film A Minecraft Movie, which was on its second weekend and grossed around $80.6 million. The King of Kings followed with $7 million on Friday, grossing around $6.8 million the day after, and concluding the weekend with approximately $5.2 million on Sunday.
SNL ANGERS CHRISTIANS DURING HOLY WEEK MOCKING DONALD ‘JESUS’ TRUMP
The latest film from Angel Studios comes after the studio made a name for itself with 2023’s Sound of Freedom, which grossed $250 million globally and told the story of former Homeland Security agent Tim Ballard quitting his job to save children overseas from human trafficking. Since this film’s release, Angel Studios has released other films based on true stories, including 2024’s Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. and 2025’s Brave the Dark.
On Sunday, the White House recognized the start of Holy Week, during which President Donald Trump vowed to protect and defend Christianity within the United States. The White House has several events planned in the days leading up to Easter to mark Holy Week, including an Easter dinner on Wednesday and a worship service on Thursday.