In a recent report from Forbes, the ‘Christmas With the Chosen: The Messengers’ became one of the most high-profile newbies in Hollywood with a miraculous almost $9 Million over the weekend.
Christmas With the Chosen: The Messengers Breaks Record
The Christmas With the Chosen: The Messengers breaks a record in the Fathom Events this weekend, to many people’s surprise. According to Forbes, “the picture earned $4.1 million over its Fri-Sun weekend.” That would mean a 3.33x weekend multiplier because most Christians flock over weekends. And that would give the film a “$8.8 million Wed-Sun domestic launch.” Of which, according to the report, “frankly bigger than many big-deal Oscar season contenders and/or would-be adult dramas this year.”
The faith-based film is now Fathom Events’ best-selling and most high-profile movie. For the first ten days of December, the film will be shown at 1,700 movie theaters across the country.
About The Christian Film
Christmas With the Chosen film tells the biblical story of Jesus from the point of view of Mary and Joseph.
But despite the film’s success, THE CHOSEN creator, Dallas Jenkins, remarked that they are not after the numbers.
“We don’t do this for the numbers. But these records indicate people will indeed go to the theater for a project they’re passionate about,” he said. “The enthusiastic comments from new and old fans give us confidence to do this again.”
Dallas Jenkins, The Chosen Creator
Making History
THE CHOSEN is also the No.1 highest crowd-funded project of all time. It is a faith-based film that made history as the first multi-season series about the life of Jesus. So far, the series has completed its Seasons one and two through “Pay It Forward.” And now, they’re still currently working for the series’ season three.
What’s more, Dallas stressed the hallmark of this Jesus series—authenticity.
“The No. 1 word that we put on our wall, the banner across everything we do, is ‘authenticity,'” he told USA Today. “So many past Bible projects telling Jesus’ story have been a little stiff, maybe a cleaned-up, sanitized version of the story. We desperately seek to pursue a portrayal that’s as authentic as possible.”
In the film, “Jesus laughs, cries, gets angry, comforts, even tells jokes, all the while fulfilling His most holy calling.”
And in the CHRISTMAS WITH THE CHOSEN, Dallas also displayed this authenticity he talked about. The movie showed Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, “shoveling animal dung in a stable to clear a space for his wife Mary to have her baby.”
“That image alone, of Joseph scooping manure to prepare a spot for Mary to give birth, is not only one of the special’s defining images,” he said. “But one of the main themes of ‘The Chosen’ series.”
“It shows his humanity and his humility. I just think it says so much.”
