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Sound of Freedom smashed all expectations to become the 10^th most popular movie of 2023 in America and 23^rd globally.

Now that 2023 has drawn to a close, Box Office Mojo has released its movie rankings for the year just gone.

Sound of Freedom sat in the number 10 spot since September. Since then, nothing in the last quarter of the year was able to lodge it from its place.

Taking in $184 million at the American box office, Sound of Freedom outperformed Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour ($180 million), Disney’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ($174 million) and Paramount Picture’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One ($165 million).

In Australia, the movie grossed over $3 million and ranked 36^th overall, while in New Zealand, it came in at number 24.

Worldwide, the film grossed $248 million, making it the 23^rd most popular film in 2023.

While the film has its critics, those who went to see the film gave it a whopping 99% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Considering the $14.5 million production budget, there is plenty of profit to put back into producing more quality Christian-based content that impacts the big screen.

The Ready-Made Movie That Almost Didn’t Make It

Independently produced, Sound of Freedom was filmed and completed in 2018, and was to be distributed by Fox Latin America. But when the 21st Century Fox was acquired by Disney in 2019, the film was dropped.

After working on the film for eight years, producer Eduardo Verástegui told Fox and Friends he spent the next years “knocking on doors everywhere. And all the experts in Hollywood told us that ‘This is not a good film… Nobody will go [and] see this film.’”

“After three years of rejection, you have two options. Either you give up, or you don’t give up.”

After praying for God to rescue the film, Verástegui found the answer in Angel Studios (of The Chosen fame).

“I was praying to God for an angel to come and rescue this film. And what are the odds that from all the studios, the one that picked this movie is called Angel Studios?”

Considering the tumultuous years of 2020–2022, it’s difficult to see how the movie could have performed as well then as it did in 2023. The pandemic years were not conducive to large gatherings in indoor cinemas. In hindsight, the delay in its release was a blessing in disguise.

With this, Verástegui “definitely” agrees. “I was very sad because I wanted it to come out in cinemas three years ago… But nothing happened. My investors were calling me, and I had a lot of pressure.”

“The experts were saying, ‘This is not for us’. So of course, you get confused because you don’t know what you have in your hands.”

“But when you wake up every day and you know that you’re using your talents, your projects, to save lives, you can stay 20 years, 40 years, for that one child.”

A ‘Miracle’ Backed by Prayer and Making an Impact

Eduardo Verástegui is still pinching himself and calling the film’s success a “miracle”.

“This is a dream… This is a miracle… This is amazing. I’m crying every day. I’m so grateful.”

“There are millions of people praying for this film. I believe in the power of prayer.”

“A lot of people are praying for this film so that it can touch hearts and put pressure on government.”

Indeed, the movie has been more successful in raising awareness of the plight of trafficked children than anyone could have imagined.

Even former US president Donald Trump screened the film at his Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. In attendance at that private viewing were lead actor Jim Caviezel (who also played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ), Tim Ballard (former Homeland Security Department agent played by Caviezel) and producer Eduardo Verástegui.

Turning to Caviezel, Trump remarked, “Jim, that was unbelievable. It’s something that I’m not sure if you’re supposed to enjoy or learn, it’s a combination, but that was a great movie.”

Trump added, “It’s an incredible inspiration. You guys do something very special.”

Politics aside, there’s no doubt that on every level, Sound of Freedom is something very special indeed. It will continue to impact viewers and, most importantly, grow a movement to end child trafficking once and for all.

The film is available on digital and DVD here.