Angel Studios is primed for another animated hit after The King of Kings performed well earlier this year with David on December 19th. The biblical musical is co-directed by Brent Dawes and Phil Cunningham. Phil Wickham, Brandon Engman, Asim Chaudhry, Mick Wingert, Will de Renzy-Martin, and Lauren Daigle provide voiceover work.
Timed for Christmas, David could slay in second place behind Avatar: Fire and Ash. In April, Angel’s aforementioned Kings capitalized on the Easter holiday period with a nearly $20 million opening and $60 million eventual domestic gross. Tracking for this is higher with faith-based crowds snatching up tickets already.
Perhaps some viewers will until the long Christmas weekend, but I still think low 20s is where this chapter begins.
David opening weekend prediction: $20.8 million
For my Avatar: Fire and Ash prediction, click here:
Blogger’s Update (04/23): I am now factoring in the re-release of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and projecting a third place showing with $20M+. I am also lowering my The Account 2 estimate from $28.6 million to $24.3 million.
The Accountant 2 with Ben Affleck looks to challenge the second weekend of Sinners for box office supremacy while horror pic Until Dawn also debuts. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the newcomers here:
Over Easter weekend, I predicted a close race between A Minecraft Movie and Sinners with the former coming out on top. I underestimated Sinners (more on that below) and it toppled Minecraft. This time it could be a photo finish between Sinners and The Accountant 2.
My high 20s projection for Affleck’s action thriller sequel could be enough for #1. However, due to its A Cinemascore grade and sizzling reviews, I’m thinking Sinners only dips in the mid 30s and that could give it north of $30 million for a repeat performance on top.
A mid 40s drop would give Minecraft $20M+ and third place. The battle for fifth could be interesting. While faith-based The King of Kings held even better than I figured over the holiday, the third weekend slide should be heftier in the mid 50s. That could still leave it in fourth as I have little faith in Until Dawn.
Here’s how I have the high six playing out:
1. Sinners
Predicted Gross: $33.1 million
2. The Accountant 2
Predicted Gross: $24.3 million
3. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith re-release
Predicted Gross: $22.6 million
4. A Minecraft Movie
Predicted Gross: $21.4 million
5. The King of Kings
Predicted Gross: $8 million
6. Until Dawn
Predicted Gross: $7.8 million
Box Office Results (April 18-20)
It was a smoking Easter frame for Ryan Coogler’s Sinners with the best debut for an original picture since Jordan Peele’s Us from 2019. As mentioned, glowing reviews helped build buzz to a $48 million start. That tops my $44.8 million forecast and the Michael B. Jordan vampire saga looks to hold up well based on that word-of-mouth (in addition to being a likely awards contender).
After two weeks atop the charts, A Minecraft Movie slipped to second with $40.4 million (not matching my $46.1 million estimate). Nevertheless Warner Bros was able to claim legit bragging rights with Sinners and this each exceeding expectations. The three-week total is $343 million.
The King of Kings eased a scant 9% for third with $17.5 million, rising above my $12.7 million prediction. The ten-day tally is $45 million.
The Amateur was fourth with $7 million and I went a bit higher at $8.6 million. The Rami Malek spy flick stands at $27 million after two weekends.
Finally, Warfare rounded out the top five with $4.8 million (I said $5.4 million) for $17 million total in its second outing.
Sinners, which reunites Michael B. Jordan with his Creed and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, looks for a strong Easter weekend showing at multiplexes. Seeking to challenge A Minecraft Movie for the top spot, you can peruse my detailed prediction post on the vampire flick here:
It could be a real photo finish for the #1 slot. Sinners is holding at a remarkable 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and that should help build buzz. My mid 40s projection might equal box office supremacy.
Yet I have Minecraft barely managing bragging rights with a low 40s percent ease for a third week in first. The separation is less than $1.5 million between the leaders.
Holdovers in their sophomore frames should populate the rest of the top five via The King of Kings, The Amateur, and Warfare.
Here’s how I have it shaking out:
1. A Minecraft Movie
Predicted Gross: $46.1 million
2. Sinners
Predicted Gross: $44.8 million
3. The King of Kings
Predicted Gross: $12.7 million
4. The Amateur
Predicted Gross: $8.6 million
5. Warfare
Predicted Gross: $5.4 million
Box Office Results (April 11-13)
A Minecraft Movie mastered the charts once again with $78.5 million, on pace with my $77.9 million call. The video game based smash has amassed $278 million in just two weeks of release.
Five newcomers filled the next spots with animated The King of Kings from Angel Studios outpacing its competitors. With an A+ Cinemascore, it was runner-up with $19.3 million. That’s falling shy of my $21.4 million estimate, but it’s still a terrific result.
The Amateur with Rami Malek was third with $14.8 million. That’s at the top of the anticipated range for the spy thriller and outdoes my $11.9 million prediction.
Warfare from Alex Garland and Iraq War vet Ray Mendoza managed fourth with $8.3 million, on target with my $8.5 million projection.
Blumhouse thriller Drop was fifth with a meh $7.3 million. I was close at $7.6 million. The B Cinemascore is decent for its genre though I’d look for this to fade quickly.
Finally, The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 3 took sixth with $6 million, I was a tad lower at $5.5 million.
Inspired by a children’s book from Charles Dickens released some 60 plus years following his death, Angel Studios has the faith-based animated offering The King of Kings in multiplexes this weekend. Seong-ho Jang directs the bio of Jesus Christ with Oscar Isaac voicing him. Kenneth Branagh is Dickens with Uma Thurman, Mark Hamill, Pierce Brosnan, Roman Griffin Davis, Forest Whitaker, and Ben Kingsley also providing behind the mic contributions.
Early box office indicators show this might perform well in the pre-Easter frame. Reviews are so-so with 62% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 48 Metacritic. It likely doesn’t have a prayer for a nomination in Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards and precursor ceremonies. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…
After a record breaking start, A Minecraft Movie should easily repeat in first position at the box office. Yet there’s a handful of newcomers jockeying for slots 2-6. We have the faith-based animated tale The King of Kings, Rami Malek’s spy thriller The Amateur, Blumhouse thriller Drop, Alex Garland’s Iraqi Freedom drama Warfare, and episodes 6-8 of the Christian show The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 3. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the quintet here:
Based on the best selling video game of all time, A Minecraft Movie achieved the best opening for a picture based on a video game (more on that below). I’m estimating a sophomore drop between 50-55% and that should put it somewhere in the mid 70s-low 80s.
A report surfaced today that The King of Kings has already taken in approximately $8 million in pre-sales. That’s surprising, but Angel Studios has certainly exceeded projections before via Sound of Freedom. A low 20s performance would easily put it in the runner-up spot.
After that it gets tricky. The Amateur, Warfare, and Drop could all open similarly in the $7-11 million range. I’ve got them placing in the order of the previous sentence with The Chosen in sixth.
Here’s how I have it shaking out:
1. A Minecraft Movie
Predicted Gross: $77.9 million
2. The King of Kings
Predicted Gross: $21.4 million
3. The Amateur
Predicted Gross: $11.9 million
4. Warfare
Predicted Gross: $8.5 million
5. Drop
Predicted Gross: $7.6 million
6. The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 3
Predicted Gross: $5.5 million
Box Office Results (April 4-6)
The box office got a much needed jolt as A Minecraft Movie kicked off well above forecasts. With $162.7 million, it is 2025’s largest start thus far and, as mentioned, the highest video game adapted feature in history. The previous record was held by 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie with $146 million. I was way off with a prediction of only $92.5 million. With a less than expected B+ Cinemascore, it should fall further than the 37% that Mario dropped in its second weekend. Yet any way you cut it, this is a fantastic result for Warner Bros.
A Working Man with Jason Statham slid to second with $7.3 million, slightly under my $8 million call. The action thriller has made $27 million after ten days.
The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 2 placed third with $6.9 million, not quite matching my $7.8 million estimate. Episodes 3-5 of the popular program made a little more than half of the nearly $12 million achieved by Part 1. Per above, diminishing returns should continue with Part 3.
Disney dud Snow White was fourth with $5.9 million (I said $6.7 million). The troubling three-week tally is $77 million.
Horror flick The Woman in the Yard was fifth and I incorrectly had it outside the high five. With $4.5 million, the two-week total is $16 million.
I had Part 1 of the The Chosen in fifth with $5.2 million, but it plummeted 84% to seventh with $1.8 million for $17 million overall.
Episodes 6-8 of the faith-based show’s 5th season with a devoted following hits multiplexes on April 11th in The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 3. With Jonathan Roumie starring as Jesus, other cast members include Shahar Isaac, Elizabeth Tabish, Paras Patel, and Noah James.
This is the third frame in a row where installments have played theatrically. Part 1 scored a better than anticipated premiere of nearly $12 million. Part 2‘s grosses aren’t finalized but appear to be coming in with approximately $7 million.
In this pre-Easter frame, Part 3 sees direct competition via animated The King of Kings. Some viewers may also wait to watch eps 6-8 when the entire season is packaged together over the holiday. Nevertheless I’ll say it falls slightly under its predecessor.
The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 3 opening weekend prediction: $5.5 million
Blogger’s Note (04/07): Deadline reports that Kings is already seeing nearly $8 million in pre-sales four days before its debut. Angel Studios is employing a marketing strategy which includes kids receiving a free ticket to screenings with the family. This is causing me to raise my projection from $11.4 million to a sizzling $21.4 million.
Angel Studios, which had an unexpectedly massive hit with Sound of Freedom in 2023, has witnessed mixed returns for subsequent releases. The faith-based outlet goes the animation route on April 11th via The King of Kings. Based on a children’s book, it involves Charles Dickens (voiced by Kenneth Branagh) narrating the life of Jesus (Oscar Isaac). Other performers behind the mic include Uma Thurman, Mark Hamill, Roman Griffin Davis, Forest Whitaker, and Ben Kingsley.
Will Christians and kiddos turn out? Timed for a pre-Easter premiere, it does have direct competition from The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 3, the popular show which will broadcast the final 3 episodes for season 5. There’s also the sophomore frame for A Minecraft Movie which caters to family crowds.
Like the other new releases next weekend, I think this will hover around $10 million. I’ll project it gets a little over that and it might have a heavenly hold over the holiday in its second go-round.
The King of Kings opening weekend prediction: $21.4 million
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