“Unsung Hero,” the new movie about the Christian music group “For King + Country,” earned an impressive $8 million at the box office in its opening weekend. The film from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Co. celebrates faith and sends the message “family is not in the way; they are the way.”
“We are thrilled that families in America see themselves in ‘Unsung Hero,’’” Kevin Downes, cofounder and CEO of Kingdom Story Co. says. “It’s a beautiful story about resiliency and reliance on faith, which we know is a strong message that our country needs right now.”
The box-office success was driven in part by organized substantial Christian radio promotion, church and ministry moving outings. The film, which came in at #2, beat out big-budget Hollywood flicks such as Godzilla x Kong, Civil War, Kung Fu Panda 4, Ghostbusters and Dune II.
The underlying theme is the importance of family.
“The Smallbone family put their story on screen to inspire other families, and that’s just what we’re seeing,” he said. “We are encouraging the audience to lean into the power of family and to lean into sharing this film with their moms. At its core, this film celebrates moms and what they do for their families. We are hearing from moms that they feel ‘seen’ in this movie in a way they haven’t seen themselves on screen before. As we look towards Mother’s Day, we will be encouraging our audience to take the mom in their lives to experience the film in theaters.”
The Lionsgate film tells the story of the Smallbone family, David and Helen, who packed up everything they owned and moved their entire family from Australia to Nashville in the 1990s in hope of a better future after David’s successful music company collapsed.
“With nothing more than their six children, their suitcases and their love of music, David and his pregnant wife Helen set out to rebuild their lives from the ground up,” according to a description of the movie from the producers. “Based on a remarkable true story, a mom’s faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs.”
Produced by brothers Luke and Joel Smallbone with Joshua Walsh and Justin Tolley, the cast includes Joel Smallbone, who plays his father in the film, Candace Cameron Bure, Kirrilee Berger, Jonathan Jackson, Lucas Black and Terry O’Quinn.
It is expected to surpass $15 million in ticket sales by the end of its second weekend.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
