10 Successful Christian Films that Turned Hollywood’s Head
Hollywood tends to have a different mindset about what makes a good film than most people in the Christian community. For Hollywood, it seems like obtaining that “R” rating is a part of the goal. The rest of what Hollywood generally views as successful is how well a film does at the box office. So, when a Christian film does well at the box office, it tends to grab Hollywood’s attention.
While there are Christian actors, actresses, and other industry pros in Hollywood, they aren’t in the majority, and they definitely need our prayers and support when they create faith based movies. Pat Boon is one of several. He’s been in the entertainment industry since the 1950s as a singer, songwriter, and actor.
“People waste millions making sordid, corrupt films that fail. Once in a while, they get big, to the sorrow of all of us. But if you want to make a successful, profitable film, make it family friendly, make it faith friendly, make it a good story, and do it well, and you’ve got a great shot,“ Boone told Fox News Digital on the red carpet for the MovieGuide Awards.
Here are just a few Christian films that have those elements and have done well at the box office.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Roman Valiev
1. The Ten Commandments (1956)
There’s always a certain amount of value that comes with learning from the past. While “The Ten Commandments“ is an oldie, it has exactly all the elements Boon talks about and is incredibly successful. When adjusted for inflation, it did a whopping $1.2 billion at the box office in today’s dollars. The classic movie stars Charlton Heston as Moses, and while it was expensive to produce, it more than made up for that given the fact it was the top-grossing movie of its decade, according to Lifeway Research.
Photo Credit: ©YouTube/YouTube Movies and TV
2. Ben Hur (1959)
Apparently, the success of “The Ten Commandments“ made Hollywood feel lucky. This classic also starred Charlton Heston. “Ben Hur“ is an amazing story about betrayal and finding peace and forgiveness through Jesus’ teachings, according to the IMDB. This particular film grossed $611.9 million when adjusted for inflation in today’s dollars, according to The Wrap.
Photo Credit: ©Paramount Pictures
3. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Yes, the Mel Gibson box office smash is controversial for a number of reasons, perhaps the most notable being that it didn’t underemphasize the physical torment that Jesus went through when He gave His life for each of us. The low budget film grossed more than $611 million worldwide, according to Lifeway Research.
Photo Credit: ©Icon
4. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
“The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe“ is a part of The Chronicles of Narnia book series. The C.S. Lewis book series was originally released over the course of the 1950s, according to Britannica. Then in 1979, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe“ was released as a television movie, according to the IMDB. Finally, Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media created a movie theater version, which grossed $745 million worldwide. It was also the largest grossing weekend opening Disney ever had, according to Lifeway Research. Again, one would think history would be a teacher here.
Photo Credit: ©YouTube/Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers
5. Fireproof (2008)
This touching film about fighting to keep marriages together and “fireproofing“ marriages from culture’s constant attempts to divide and conquer couples really blew Hollywood away because of the Kendrick Brother’s ability to basically get their church and community on board to make a movie on a shoestring budget. The film grossed more than $33 million in theaters and also opened the door for their book, “The Love Dare,” which hit #1 as a New York Times best-seller, according to Lifeway Research.
Photo Credit: ©YouTube/John Maverick
6. Soul Surfer (2011)
A beautiful, moving movie about chasing your dreams and being determined to get back up and overcome after life kicks you in the teeth. This is based on a true story about a young teen who has a dream to be a professional surfer and her courageous comeback after being attacked by a shark. The movie grossed nearly $44 million at the box office, according to Entertainment.
Photo Credit: ©Affirm
7. God’s Not Dead (2014)
This is a bit of Christian apologetics regarding the existence of God and some great Christian music by the Newsboys. Some might recall that this is actually a four-part series, but this particular one scored nearly $61 million at the box office.
Photo Credit: ©Pureflix
8. War Room (2015)
Really, you can count on anything by the Kendrick brothers as being a great movie, and this was no exception. This insightful movie about the power of prayer and the beauty of a mother in the faith who’s a wise widow coming alongside a young mother and wife with a troubled marriage is an incredibly creative story. It grossed nearly $68 million at the box office, according to Entertainment.
Photo Credit: ©Sony
9. Jesus Revolution (2023)
This movie is the story of Pastor Greg Laurie’s journey to Jesus, the Jesus movement/revival that was taking place in the 60s and 70s, and how it was drawing hippies. This particular film grossed 15 million at the box office and had some pretty rave reviews, according to Fox News.
Photo Credit: ©Lionsgate, used with permission.
10. The Chosen, Season 4 (2024)
Season 4, about the life and teachings of Jesus, took second place at the box office in February 2024. The Dallas Jenkins film brought in about $26 million for the season, according to Movie Web.
Upcoming Releases
For those who enjoy the theater experience, a few Christian movies to have on your radar include:
The Unbreakable Boy – releases February 21, 2025
The Chosen, season 5 – releases March 28, 2025
Photo Credit: ©The Chosen; used with permission.
Originally published Wednesday, 26 February 2025.
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