CHICAGO (NewsNation) — “Sound of Freedom” has now grossed over $100 million in box office revenue, selling over 8.9 million tickets and reaching a new theatrical milestone for its production company Angel Studios, according to a press release.
The new faith-based film about child trafficking has flipped the script on the traditional Hollywood summer blockbuster formula.
But the strong performance was far from guaranteed. The film, starring Jim Caviezel, had to overcome significant obstacles to get made and was even dropped by Disney five years ago.
The film took five years to make, but has made a quick profit and generated lots of buzz. It took second place in the July 14-16 weekend box office wars with $27.3 million, according to Box Office Mojo. On July 4, the movie took Hollywood by surprise when it brought in more money than the latest Indiana Jones film on the same day.
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 some criticized the group’s tactics, including allowing citizens who don’t work in law enforcement to take part. They’ve also accused the group of overwhelming local authorities who were not prepared to deal with the aftermath of the stings.
However, those who have been to the packed showings say they are leaving with a mission and want to help spread awareness about child trafficking.
Taylor Delandro contributed to this report.