'Courageous' - Modest Church Production Lands With $9M at Box Office

(Photo: Sherwood Pictures)
Nathan (played by Ken Bevel) shares the Gospel with David (played by Ben Davies) in the newly released film "Courageous."

By Justin Sarachik , Christian Post Reporter

October 6, 2011|4:43 pm

The No. 4 at the Box Office this weekend was Christian movie "Courageous" which opened in 1,161 theaters and proves that faith, persistence, and hard work can compete with the best.

According to boxoffice.com "Courageous" reached the number four spot in gross revenue this weekend with just over $9 million. In comparison, movies "50/50" and "Dreamhouse" opened in more than double the amount of theaters and made far less.

The film was created by an Albany, GA Baptist church, Sherwood Baptist through their media division Sherwood Pictures along with Tri Star, Sony, and Provident Films.

This is the fourth film Sherwood Pictures has produced with the $10 million grossing "Facing the Giants" greatly topping its $10,000 budget. The other notable movie from the church was "Fireproof" which cost only $500,000 to make and wound up grossing $33 million.

Already "Courageous" is at $8.8 million which means it beat its $2 million budget with plenty of time to go yet.

Entertainment Weekly wrote on the new movie and said, "Shown in 1,161 theaters (yet, notably, just one theater in Manhattan), Courageous earned the best per theater average of any wide release with a robust $7,580."

These films continue to excel outside of the Christian market all the while no major professional actors nor film crew are present.

The church's pastors, brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick, co-write and film the movies with Alex directing and sometimes starring and Stephen producing. Other cast members and crew are all involved with the church.

The biggest actor they've had is Kirk Cameron in "Fireproof."

The movie dives into the subject of fatherhood as it follows four police officers who are great at their jobs but not so great at home as fathers.

A quote from the movie by Alex Kendrick's character, Adam Mitchell says, "Half of the fathers in this country are already failing and I don't want to be one of them."

Kendrick says of the congregation of his church, "I want especially men to walk out of the movie theater saying 'This movie makes me want to be a better dad and really a better man as a model and mentor to my children.'"

"You will see a difference," he concludes.