(NewsNation) — A movie about child sex trafficking hit big at the box office this weekend, despite online claims that movie theater chain AMC has purposefully disrupted the movie’s release.
The movie “Sound of Freedom” is a fictionalized account of a controversial organization that engaged in stings to catch child sex traffickers.
Critics have said the movie amplifies conspiracy theories about trafficking and experts have warned it doesn’t paint a realistic picture of how sex trafficking works. They’ve expressed concerns that the movie perpetuates myths about trafficking that could have very real consequences for victims.
The faith-based group portrayed in the film, Operation Underground Railroad, conducted stings in an effort to rescue children. But many criticized the group’s tactics, including allowing citizens who don’t work in law enforcement to take part and accusing it of contributing to a demand for victims as well as overwhelming local authorities who were not prepared to deal with the aftermath of the stings.
The film took five years to make, but has made a quick profit and generated lots of buzz. Angel Studios, which produced the film, announced it will play in an additional 450 theaters over the upcoming weekend. Over the Fourth of July weekend, the movie took Hollywood by surprise when it gave the latest Indiana Jones film a run for its money.
The film finished third at the box office last weekend, but ticket sales have it in second place as of now, grossing about $50 million so far. That’s triple what it cost to make the film.
On social media, users have accused AMC of trying to disrupt the film’s performance, which the company has denied. In a statement, Angel Studios said, “AMC has been an outstanding partner for Angel Studios. In fact, as a result of the movie’s performance and consumer demand, AMC has agreed to add additional scenes for ‘Sound of Freedom’ this weekend.”
Former President Trump also announced he will host a screening of the movie on July 19 at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
The film will be going up against the new “Mission: Impossible” movie from Tom Cruise. Next week, it will face move competition from two major Hollywood releases, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.”