“Jesus Revolution” and “The Chosen” are not just Christian dramas but part of a revolution in faith entertainment. The former — a feel-good movie about hippies who returned to Christ during the 1970s, starring former “Cheers” and “Frasier” star Kelsey Grammer — has grossed more than $52 million since its debut a few weeks ago, making it the most successful film released by studio heavyweight Lionsgate since 2019.
But the instructive parable may be its predecessor. Since its release in 2017, television series “The Chosen,” portraying a charismatic Jesus and his youthful disciples, showed it didn’t need Tinseltown’s blessing. Through crowdfunding, its producers have raised millions of dollars from thousands of fans, and the show is now in its third season.
The show has been breaking viewership records, screening in theaters and on streaming platforms. According to its producers, “The Chosen” has recorded more than 450 million views worldwide, including on its app. The show is touted as “the largest fan-supported entertainment project of all time” by the Religion News Service.
Over Easter weekend, Angel Studios, which helped launch “The Chosen,” released “His Only Son” in theaters. Calling it the “first-ever film to crowdsource its theatrical release,” the studio said it raised $1.235 million in February from 2,000 investors, all in under 100 hours, just to finance its distribution. An animated film currently in production in partnership with Angel Studios, “David,” has raised almost $51 million as of this article for its full production.
A parallel Christian entertainment industry — movies, music, books, television,
