The faith-based film Overcomerwill expand to 2,125 theaters this weekend, marking a record and the widest release of any Kendrick Brothers film to date.
Overcomer was in 1,827 theaters last weekend and finished No. 5 when including the Labor Day holiday. It has grossed $20.5 million, according to data at BoxOfficeMojo.com.
It was made by filmmakers Alex and Stephen Kendrick, whose 2015 film War Room rose to No. 1 but played in only 1,945 theaters at its peak. Their two previous films, Courageous (1,214 theaters at its peak) and Fireproof (905 theaters at its peak) also didn’t expand to as many theaters as Overcomer will. It expanded by roughly 100 theaters last weekend and will add another 300 or so this weekend.
The movie’s expansion is due to a successful opening weekend when it finished third in total gross and second in per-theater average.
In August, producer Stephen Kendrick said opening weekend was key to its reach.
“If people support it opening weekend, they expand it – more cities, more theaters,” he said. … “If people don’t go see it opening weekend, they’ll take it out of theaters. It’s a big deal what happens opening weekend.”
Overcomer (PG) tells the story of a basketball coach whose hopes for a state championship are dashed when the town’s largest employer closes and his star players move out of town. He is then forced to coach the cross-country team, which has only one runner. The coach’s outlook on life changes when he encounters a Christian blind man who is filled with joy despite failing health.
The film examines the Christian’s identity in Christ.
“I remember being at my kids’ cross-country races and watching, basically, a living parallel of the Christian life play out on the course,” Alex Kendrick told Christian Headlines. “The Apostle Paul uses the analogy of running a race in the New Testament. And so we began to dive into the book of Ephesians and learned so much more about identity. Culture is debating identity – is identify determined by your feelings? Is it your circumstances? But the Creator gets to define his creation.”
Related:
‘Overcomer’ Earns Rare A+ CinemaScore, Opens in Top 5
5 Things You Should Know about Overcomer
‘Overcomer’ Director: God, and not Feelings, Defines Your Identity
Overcomer Dares to Ask, “Who Do You Think You Are?”
‘Overcomer’ Actor Quit Hollywood Films When Asked to Do Nudity
Filmmaker Erwin Brothers Announce 4 New Movies, Launch Studio
Actress Madeline Carroll Turned Down Nude Role, Fame and Fortune for Righteousness
Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com.
Photo courtesy: Sony/Kendrick Brothers
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