Oscar Isaac Leads Biblical Box Office Miracle in 'King of Kings'

Olivia Bennett, 4/14/2025"The King of Kings," an animated film led by Oscar Isaac, has captivated audiences with a $19 million opening weekend. This faith-based blockbuster, set for release just before Easter, showcases a star-studded cast and innovative strategies that are reshaping Hollywood's approach to religious entertainment.

Would you believe it? This South Korean-produced masterpiece, distributed by those plucky upstarts at Angel Studios (yes, the "Sound of Freedom" folks), just commanded a truly blessed $19 million opening weekend. That's enough to dethrone DreamWorks' 1998 classic "The Prince of Egypt" and its $14.5 million debut — though adjusting for inflation might tell a slightly different story, but who's counting?

Let's dish about this cast, sweeties. We're talking a vocal ensemble that reads like the guest list at the Vanity Fair Oscar party: Oscar Isaac, Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan (still devastating at 70), Mark Hamill, Ben Kingsley, and Forest Whitaker. Honestly, the recording booth must've looked like the VIP section at Chateau Marmont.

The timing? Well... somebody upstairs clearly had a hand in this one. Landing just before Easter 2024, "The King of Kings" has positioned itself as the spiritual blockbuster du jour, sliding into the number two spot behind "A Minecraft Movie" (because apparently, pixels still reign supreme at the box office).

Brandon Purdie over at Angel — their Global Head of Theatrical Distribution & Brand Development, bless his heart — couldn't help but crow about their success. Something about knowing their audience and actually listening to them? Revolutionary concept in Hollywood, darling. That coveted A+ CinemaScore doesn't lie — though it's worth noting only 127 other films have achieved such heights since... forever.

Now, here's where things get a touch... controversial. Angel Studios rolled out this "Kids Go Free" scheme through their Pay It Forward system. Clever? Absolutely. A touch manipulative of those box office numbers? Well... let's just say some industry insiders are raising perfectly sculpted eyebrows.

2024's turning into quite the year for faith-based entertainment, hasn't it? "The Chosen" franchise has somehow managed to squeeze two installments into the weekend's top ten — a feat that's probably got traditional studio execs reaching for something stronger than communion wine. "The Chosen: Last Supper" (Season 5) Part 3 blessed the box office with $6 million, while Part 2 keeps collecting faithful viewers like prayer beads, now sitting pretty at $11.4 million total.

What's absolutely fascinating about this holy trinity of success is how it's completely rewriting Hollywood's gospel about religious entertainment. Gone are the days of poorly lit church basement screenings and those dreadful direct-to-video releases that looked like they were filmed on someone's iPhone 4.

Animation's having quite the moment too — making up nearly half of 2024's top ten films so far. Though let's be honest, after the writers' strike last year, those pixels were probably looking pretty good to studio accountants.

As Easter approaches (and darling, aren't we all dreading those pastel color schemes?), "The King of Kings" looks poised for another miraculous showing. Whether you're there for the message or just to marvel at the animation, one thing's crystal clear — this biblical blockbuster has performed a miracle that even Hollywood can't ignore: turning faith into box office gold.

And isn't that what Tinseltown's always been about, sweeties? Making believers out of cynics... and profits out of prayers.

Darlings, heaven just got a whole lot more lucrative at the box office. "The King of Kings" — that divinely inspired animated spectacle starring Oscar Isaac — hasn't just arrived; it's made a full-blown celestial entrance that's got Hollywood clutching its pearls.Would you believe it? This South Korean-produced masterpiece, distributed by those plucky upstarts at Angel Studios (yes, the "Sound of Freedom" folks), just commanded a truly blessed $19 million opening weekend. That's enough to dethrone DreamWorks' 1998 classic "The Prince of Egypt" and its $14.5 million debut — though adjusting for inflation might tell a slightly different story, but who's counting?Let's dish about this cast, sweeties. We're talking a vocal ensemble that reads like the guest list at the Vanity Fair Oscar party: Oscar Isaac, Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan (still devastating at 70), Mark Hamill, Ben Kingsley, and Forest Whitaker. Honestly, the recording booth must've looked like the VIP section at Chateau Marmont.The timing? Well... somebody upstairs clearly had a hand in this one. Landing just before Easter 2024, "The King of Kings" has positioned itself as the spiritual blockbuster du jour, sliding into the number two spot behind "A Minecraft Movie" (because apparently, pixels still reign supreme at the box office).Brandon Purdie over at Angel — their Global Head of Theatrical Distribution & Brand Development, bless his heart — couldn't help but crow about their success. Something about knowing their audience and actually listening to them? Revolutionary concept in Hollywood, darling. That coveted A+ CinemaScore doesn't lie — though it's worth noting only 127 other films have achieved such heights since... forever.Now, here's where things get a touch... controversial. Angel Studios rolled out this "Kids Go Free" scheme through their Pay It Forward system. Clever? Absolutely. A touch manipulative of those box office numbers? Well... let's just say some industry insiders are raising perfectly sculpted eyebrows.2024's turning into quite the year for faith-based entertainment, hasn't it? "The Chosen" franchise has somehow managed to squeeze two installments into the weekend's top ten — a feat that's probably got traditional studio execs reaching for something stronger than communion wine. "The Chosen: Last Supper" (Season 5) Part 3 blessed the box office with $6 million, while Part 2 keeps collecting faithful viewers like prayer beads, now sitting pretty at $11.4 million total.What's absolutely fascinating about this holy trinity of success is how it's completely rewriting Hollywood's gospel about religious entertainment. Gone are the days of poorly lit church basement screenings and those dreadful direct-to-video releases that looked like they were filmed on someone's iPhone 4.Animation's having quite the moment too — making up nearly half of 2024's top ten films so far. Though let's be honest, after the writers' strike last year, those pixels were probably looking pretty good to studio accountants.As Easter approaches (and darling, aren't we all dreading those pastel color schemes?), "The King of Kings" looks poised for another miraculous showing. Whether you're there for the message or just to marvel at the animation, one thing's crystal clear — this biblical blockbuster has performed a miracle that even Hollywood can't ignore: turning faith into box office gold.And isn't that what Tinseltown's always been about, sweeties? Making believers out of cynics... and profits out of prayers.