Angel Studios said its upcoming animated musical David is seeing nearly $3 million in theatrical pre-sales in three weeks, calling it the highest in the company’s history.
“Combined with robust exhibitor demand, this positions David for a highly competitive nationwide opening in theaters,” it said. The family film opens Dec. 19. Last month, Angel partnered with 2521 Entertainment to acquire 100% of the David animated film and TV franchise from Slingshot USA.
“Angel continues to deliver compelling films that resonate with audiences across our circuit, and David is no exception,” said Cinemark SVP of Global Content Strategy and Analysis Justin McDaniel. “We are seeing strong early enthusiasm from moviegoers, and its release during the Christmas holiday makes it a fitting choice for families seeking inspiring and faith-filled entertainment. We look forward to bringing David to our immersive auditoriums this December.”
“The early success of David is no surprise,” said Angel President Jordan Harmon. “Our audience chooses which stories reach theaters, and the Angel Guild has embraced David with the highest scores ever recorded. This is a powerful, values-driven animated musical that unites families and uplifts hearts – the perfect story to celebrate the holidays.”
The Angel Guild is a paying membership that’s grown to 1.6 million and has a say on which projects the studio pursues.
Multi-platinum artist Phil Wickham headlines the film with actor, dancer, and singer Brandon Engman as young David, the biblical shepherd boy who defeats Goliath and inspires his nation. Angel recently released the film’s full original soundtrack and teaser trailer, which counts nearly three million views on YouTube. Some of the film’s music moments have generated more than 17 million views.
Angel is planning a David sing-along event in theaters on December 31 to extend the film’s momentum.
Upcoming theatrical releases from Angel Studios, which recently went public through a SPAC merger, include I Was A Stranger, set against the backdrop of the Syrian Civil War; Solo Mio, a romantic comedy starring Kevin James, Kim Coates and Alyson Hannigan; and biopic Young Washington starring Kelsey Grammer, Mary-Louise Parker and Ben Kingsley.