Among the DC and Marvel movies that have hogged much of the attention in theaters this year, “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-made-another-modern-woman-hero-heres-how-it-went">Supergirl</a>” and “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-spider-man-is-succeeding-where-so-many-superhero-movies-failed">Spider-Man</a>” among them, my favorite superhero movie has flown under the radar. Filmmaker Michael Russell Gunn’s “The Brink of War” contains no galactic skirmishes or city-leveling explosions. Instead, it takes us back to 1986, when the global nuclear stockpile had reached its Cold War peak, and reminds us how the fortitude and resolve of President Ronald Reagan helped bring one of history’s most oppressive empires closer to collapse.
Jeff Daniels portrays Reagan, capturing much of the Gipper’s mannerisms and genial, folksy candor, though I still preferred Dennis Quaid’s more physically intuitive performance in the 2024 biopic (or “origin story,” in superhero parlance) “Reagan.” The film opens with Reagan arriving in Iceland for the famed Reykjavík Summit with Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev (Jared Harris), where the two intend to negotiate arms control. Reagan himself is reluctant to call it a summit. “Summits have gotten us nowhere,” he says. “Let’s just call it a meeting.”
The stakes hardly need embellishment. By 1986, the world contained nearly 70,000 nuclear warheads, overwhelmingly American and Soviet, with both superpowers restrained by the ghastly game theory of mutually assured destruction. Neither leader, socialist or otherwise, had any desire to preside over the annihilation of his country.
Most of “The Brink of War” unfolds inside Hofdi House, the actual site of the negotiations, where Gunn was even able to film using the chairs in which Reagan and Gorbachev sat. The claustrophobic setting suits a movie in which civilization’s fate turns on two men refusing to budge across a small table.
Harris, complete with Gorbachev’s signature forehead birthmark, wisely stops short of attempting a full Russian accent — one dialect American actors almost never get right — instead folding Slavic affectations and rolled Rs into his English. “Are we not mutually assured partners in destruction?” Gorbachev asks. “Should we not be mutually assured partners in reduction?”
Yet Reagan’s concern extends beyond quibbling over how many warheads should remain stationed across Europe. Gunn treats the summit as a collision between two political systems. Referencing the Second World War, Reagan tells his colleagues that “any system, no matter communist or fascist, that denies people their God-given free will is a threat to all nations.”
“The Brink of War” succeeds as a political thriller because it takes that moral distinction seriously.
Gunn also finds simple visual ways to enliven what is essentially two hours of men negotiating. Reagan and Gorbachev, seated across from one another, are at points framed inside isolated black spaces that create a visual wall between them. Elsewhere, the film cuts to the aides, intelligence officers, journalists, and spouses orbiting the negotiations.
Raisa Gorbacheva (Branka Katić), dressed head-to-toe in sumptuous sable furs, bristles when a New York Times reporter addresses her as the Soviet first lady. “In the Soviet Union, we are all truly equal,” she replies.
Such jabs at communism are abundant. When a Soviet official asks Secretary of State George Shultz (J.K. Simmons) why Americans call the president’s emergency satchel a “nuclear football,” suggesting such euphemisms signal weakness, Shultz shoots back: “Yes, gulag sounds so much nicer than inhumane Siberian torture prison.”
The screenplay occasionally feels inspired by contemporary politics. One Soviet dismisses Thomas Jefferson as a “slaveholder” and “conveniently capitalist,” while Gorbachev calls Jesus “the first socialist,” sounding more like Columbia freshmen than Cold War-era Kremlin hardliners. Still, it produces an amusing question. How can affluent Western college students fantasize about an economic system whose leader, in the film, admits that the Soviet Union cannot even manufacture milking machines and functioning tractors to feed its people?
Watching Reagan refuse to abandon the Strategic Defense Initiative, the missile-defense program nicknamed “Star Wars,” also made me pine for some of his uncompromising spirit in America’s dealings with Iran. One struggles to imagine Reagan tweeting that “A CIVILIZATION WILL DIE TONIGHT,” only to announce shortly afterward that military action has been postponed for two weeks.
Reagan and Gorbachev ultimately leave Reykjavík without what negotiators call a zone of possible agreement, or ZOPA, largely because Gorbachev insists that Strategic Defense Initiative research be confined to the laboratory. Yet Reykjavík was hardly a failure. The negotiations helped clear the path toward the 1987 INF Treaty and proved that sweeping arms reductions were possible.
That is also where “The Brink of War” finds its point. Reagan understood that negotiation did not require moral equivalence and that peace was worth pursuing without pretending the systems on either side of the table were interchangeable. Driven by strong performances from Daniels and Harris, the film may lack the CGI thrills of this year’s superhero blockbusters, but it portrays a hero who actually had a hand in saving the world from nuclear annihilation and communism.
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Harry Khachatrian (<a href="https://x.com/harry1t6">@Harry1T6</a>) is a film critic for the Washington Examiner. He is a software engineer, holds a master’s degree from the University of Toronto, and writes about wine at <a href="https://www.betweenbottles.com/">BetweenBottles.com</a>.
This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.

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‘The Brink Of War’ Finds A Superhero In Ronald Reagan

Angel Studios

Communism

Movie Review

Movies

Ronald Reagan

Russia

Soviet Union

Upstream

Kevin Sepe never performed before thousands of screaming fans or made millions with a hit song.
His personal tragedy still mirrors what the lead character in “Elijah Peel,” a faith-based drama about a rocker’s road to redemption, endures on screen.
That’s no accident.
Sepe turned his near-death experiences and addiction woes into a feature film, showcasing what it means to find Christ in the world of pop music.
“Elijah Peel,” out August 14, follows a drug-addled rocker (Robert Malcolm Cumming) recovering from an accidental overdose. He bonds with a fellow patient, a precocious girl named Jessica (Evelyn Grace Kite) who points him toward a better path.
But it won’t be anything close to easy.
Sepe previously plotted feature film projects, but he says they didn’t reflect his current state of mind and spirituality.
“I love the entertainment space,” says Sepe, who produced, wrote, and co-directed “Elijah Peel.” “I always gravitated toward that world.”
He initially envisioned a version of “Elijah Peel” that was R-rated and immature, a frat-style comedy that lacked the current version’s core values.
“It reflected where I was spiritually which was not in a good place [at the time],” he says. Still, the project got traction in Hollywood before his life began to crumble.
He later reassessed his filmmaking vision.
“When I finally emerged from that ordeal … I was left thinking in a different spiritual pace. My God, what had I done?” he recalls, praying that he’d create a project that mirrored his faith journey.
Enter “Elijah Peel,” executive produced by “Duck Dynasty” alums Willie and Korie Robertson. The film co-stars Kevin Sorbo of “Hercules” fame as Elijah’s conflicted manager. Their youthful co-star won the Lead Actress award at this year’s International Christian Film &amp; Music Festival, becoming the honor’s youngest winner at nine years of age.
Rockers like Elijah Peel face constant temptations from fans, fame, and the perils of endless cash. Sepe says he, too, is susceptible to a relapse.
“I’m at a place where I understand where the triggers are for me,” he says. “With one move, I can destroy anybody, including me … even when I pray about this film. I’m so conscious of me getting in the way.”
The project’s goal isn’t Hollywood fame but to “further the Kingdom,” he says, dubbing the film “soul food.”
The parallels between Sepe and his cinematic alter ego are palpable. Yes, both Sepe and his on-screen creation battle addiction issues, but that brand of abuse speaks to a larger concern.
“I know enough about addiction to know it’s a symptom of what’s really going on,” he says. The main character’s rock star status actually can make matters worse for the addict.
“That’s a dangerous place to be for a sick guy or woman inside … they have more means to do what they do … they’re in a place where they can continue &#8230; it’s a harder place to get to the bottom.”
On screen, Cumming’s character “had the benefit of a hard and fast fall to near death so he could recognize what an urgent call to address the spirit that was so broken with him was,” he says.
Making a movie inspired by his own life proved an “almost out of body experience,” Sepe says. His next project, already completed, is under contract with Angel Studios to bring “Young Warriors” to the screen. The feature, starring “Entourage” alum Jeremy Piven, follows a group of youngsters “growing up in a dysfunctional world.”
It’s a snug fit for the upstart studio, a production shingle with a goal to “amplify light.” Angel has hit the ground running with impactful films like “Sound of Freedom,” “David” and “Young Washington.”
“Elijah Peel” was shot on location in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s one of a growing number of film projects lensed outside of Hollywood, a trend Sepe embraced.
“There’s something to be said about using local crews in the region,” he says. “There’s a pride in what they’re doing &#8230; ‘we wanna show the world this little city is cool.’”
Sepe calls himself a dreamer and storyteller who loves the pop culture landscape. Now, he’s using that affection to talk about Jesus in a fresh way.
Movies like “Elijah Peel” “widen the net,” he says, reaching people who might not otherwise consider a spiritual path.
“The message is powerful, soulful and Christian,” he says. “It reflects the love and grace that God gave me. I wanna share that with the world. Pop culture enables me to do that.”
***
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. He&#8217;s also the host of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hollywood-in-toto-podcast-w-christian-toto/id1186449155">The Hollywood in Toto Podcast</a>. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>.

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‘Elijah Peel’  Is A Cinematic Redemption Story With Real Roots

“Elijah Peel”

Entertainment

Hollywood

Kevin Sepe

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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A 22-year-old colonel in the British Army made a crucial mistake in the 1750s. He messed up so badly that he may have been responsible for dragging North America into the brutal Seven Years&#8217; War. The colonel had built his stronghold, Fort Necessity, with a mind to strategy; he just picked the wrong one. Instead of providing a vantage point from which to see and fire upon enemies, the fort was easily surrounded by the French and hostile Indians, who forced a surrender on July 3, 1754.
With dozens of deaths on his hands, Colonel George Washington had failed. 
Among those who still care about the founders of our country, there is a tendency to focus only on their virtues, a temptation that began all the way back in the Revolutionary period. George Washington never felled a cherry tree, that we know of, though the myth tells us something about the way historians wanted him to be seen: honorable, responsible, and honest. The urge to deify our first president is so strong that there is a painting in the Capitol Rotunda titled “The Apotheosis of Washington.”
But the man who “could not tell a lie” had his faults like the rest of us. And in Angel Studios’ “Young Washington,” it’s these failures that turn him into the legendary general whom we know of today. 
Washington, played by 22-year-old William Franklyn-Miller, is nothing but potential and ambition. A colonist without a title, land, or his own fortune, he aspires to much greater things than anyone expects of him. His mother discourages him from joining the British forces, and he is initially rejected as an officer because of his lack of formal education. 
When he offers to be a land surveyor for the wealthy Thomas Fairfax, played by “Frasier” star Kelsey Grammer, he becomes wrapped up in the bloody French and British land disputes in a way he could never have imagined. Like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Alexander Hamilton, Washington is “young, scrappy, and hungry,” but he’s also trusting and naive.
Washington is unexpectedly undercut by a group of American Indians who use his exploratory expedition for their own purposes against the French, and, due to a translation failure, he accidentally takes credit for the assassination of a French ensign. When he tries to explain away his missteps, he gets a lesson in leadership. 
“To lead is to forfeit the right to make excuses,” Virginia’s lieutenant governor, played by Ben Kingsley, tells him. 
The film takes us through the pivotal time in Washington&#8217;s life before he grew into a great leader. He is rejected and dismissed at seemingly every turn, including by a young Sally Fairfax, whose presence adds a bit of romantic tension to the plot while underscoring that Washington didn’t, in fact, achieve everything he wanted as a young man. 
Yet George refuses to give up, even after his failure at Fort Necessity. “July 3rd will be etched in my memory forever,” he says. When he returns to the British forces as an aide-de-camp, swiftly returning to leadership after the death of Major General Edward Braddock (Andy Serkis), he willingly puts himself in harm’s way for the sake of his men, the Virginians. 
This is the kind of patriotism we lack on the big screen. This year’s semiquincentennial celebration has been largely <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/america-turns-250-so-where-are-the-patriotic-movies?">ignored by Hollywood</a>. Over the past few years, Americans who are ashamed of our history have scrambled to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-rioters-burn-american-flag-on-fire-on-top-of-george-washington-statue-tear-it-down">topple statues</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/san-fran-paint-over-historic-george-washington-james-barrett">paint over murals</a>, and otherwise erase <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-critics-cant-stand-the-idea-of-george-washington-praying">or belittle</a> monuments not just to George Washington, but to other heroes of our shared past. 
As families gather to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, what they need is a film to remind them of the courage and sacrifices of the men who made our country what it is today. They’re looking for films with real heroes who can inspire them to be better. (They’re certainly not going to get that from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-made-another-modern-woman-hero-heres-how-it-went">“Supergirl.”</a>) “Young Washington,” in theaters tomorrow, is such a film. 
Bring the older kids: Angel Studios <a href="https://www.angel.com/tickets/young-washington">recommends</a> the PG-13 film for ages 12 and up for violence and light cursing, though I’d say some older elementary school students may enjoy it as well. And all ages can benefit from the example of its young hero.
The same age as the young Washington he portrays, Franklyn-Miller plays the founding father with conviction. Washington concludes that “failure is a great teacher,” and he refuses to allow even his catastrophic failures to keep him from fighting for his country. There’s a modern lesson there for anyone wise enough to heed it.

YW 2

‘Young Washington’ Shows How Failure Made America’s Greatest Leader

America 250

Founding Fathers

The Bible-based animated film “David,” which was released on December 19 by Angel Studios, has surpassed box office expectations and shattered records for an independent film.
Angel Studios reported on Sunday that “David” earned $22 million over the opening weekend at the domestic box office, per <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2025/12/21/david-opening-sets-new-record-for-faith-based-angel-studios/">Forbes</a>. This broke the studio’s record set by the hit film “Sound of Freedom” (2023), which earned $19.6 million during its opening, and the animated “The King of Kings” from earlier this year, which raked in $19.4 million.
&#8220;David&#8221; also has the &#8220;highest-grossing faith-based animated theatrical opening of all-time,&#8221; according to a press release from Angel Studios.
The huge results also put “David” second overall at the box office this week, behind only James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”
“King David – one of the greatest stories ever told – is powerfully reimagined for the big screen with this epic family musical,” 2521 Entertainment co-founder and Chief Creative and Content Officer David L. Hunt said in a statement. “Kids will grow up fondly remembering how their parents took them to the theater to experience this film. Moments like these become family memories that can last a lifetime.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="DAVID | Final Trailer | In Theaters This Christmas | Angel" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gWgyI6_lR0A?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Families are searching for values-driven films that honor hope, and our Angel Guild members embraced David from the very beginning,” Angel Studios’ theatrical head Brandon Purdie said. “We greatly value the support of our outstanding exhibitors and look forward to a robust, extended theatrical run as this popular animated musical continues to warm hearts and inspire families this Christmas.”
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“David” tells the familiar bible story of David and Goliath. As the film description says, “From the songs of his mother’s heart to the whispers of a faithful God, David’s story begins in quiet devotion. When the giant Goliath rises to terrorize a nation, a young shepherd armed with only a sling, a few stones, and unshakable faith steps forward. Pursued by power and driven by purpose, his journey tests the limits of loyalty, love, and courage — culminating in a battle not just for a crown, but for the soul of a kingdom.”
The movie currently has a 68% critic’s score and 98% audience score on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/david_2025">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.

David

Bible-Based Film ‘David’ Smashes Box Office Records

Biblical Based Film 'David' Smashes Box Office Records

Bible

Box Office

Christianity

As families gather this holiday season, finding entertainment that is both edifying and enjoyable shouldn’t require a culture-war battle. For years, it has. Here’s the good news: Americans are winning.
As a religious-freedom advocate and mother of a large family, I live that struggle from both angles. In my work defending conscience rights, I see how culture shapes values. At home, I face the daily challenge of ensuring my children know their Christian faith and develop well-formed consciences in a world often working against them.
For families like mine — with kids at home in countless afterschool activities and others in college — Thanksgiving weekend offers rare time together. But finding wholesome entertainment that captivates everyone? That&#8217;s been the real challenge. Movie nights should be simple, not exercises in scrolling through endless streaming menus filled with questionable content.
Fortunately, the tide is turning. A new generation of filmmakers is proving that you can beat Hollywood at its own game by offering quality entertainment with uplifting messages. 
Two summers ago, in July of 2023, Angel Studios released “<a href="https://www.angel.com/press/sound-of-freedom">Sound of Freedom</a>,” earning over $250 million even though the Hollywood establishment tried to bury it. The film exposed international child sex trafficking while becoming a cultural phenomenon that rattled the entertainment elite. Then there are the <a href="https://kendrickbrothers.com/">Kendrick Brothers</a>, longtime producers of Christian films that inspire audiences by addressing marriage, online pornography addiction, and community rebuilding.
New on the scene is the <a href="https://www.thewonderproject.com/">Wonder Project</a>, a revolutionary enterprise producing its own original content for theaters as well as a subscription-based channel on the Prime streaming service offering over a hundred “value-driven” titles with classics like “The Sound of Music” and “Lincoln” alongside original productions like the “House of David” series. The platform also provides edited versions of popular films, making true co-viewing possible without scrambling for the fast-forward button.
I recently watched one of the Wonder Project&#8217;s original productions, “<a href="https://sarahsoilfilminspires.com/">Sarah&#8217;s Oil</a>,” at a nearby movie theater with my four youngest children, all close in age to the film&#8217;s 11-year-old protagonist. We witnessed something rare: a movie that held their complete attention while teaching profound lessons about courage and faith. The true story follows Sarah Rector, an African American girl in early-1900s Oklahoma, who believes oil lies beneath her barren land. She is proven right — becoming one of America’s first female African American millionaires at eleven.
What makes “Sarah&#8217;s Oil” exceptional is what it proves possible. A film tackling racial injustice and economic exploitation while remaining appropriate for children. No lectures about systemic racism. No victim narrative. Just an inspiring American story of perseverance, faith, and determination. It illuminates the good, the true, and the beautiful — something Hollywood has largely forgotten how to do.
In an age where every family member often retreats to their own screen and algorithm-curated bubble, shared cultural experiences have become almost revolutionary. Grandparents, parents, and children gathering around the same story. Laughing together, being moved together, is how values are shared across generations. It&#8217;s how family bonds are strengthened. When a film can captivate both an 80-year-old grandmother and a 9-year-old grandchild, it creates common ground for the kind of conversations that matter. These shared moments are the antidote to the isolation afflicting both young and old. Hollywood once understood this.
Counter-culture media initiatives like the Wonder Project have made smart business decisions by listening to families and giving them what they want: Content that unites, stories that inspire, heroes worth emulating.
Every family that chooses wholesome entertainment over progressive-left propaganda sends a market signal Hollywood can&#8217;t ignore. Every packed theater for a faith-based film is a referendum on the entertainment establishment. Every streaming subscription to values-driven content proves what Americans actually want.
This Thanksgiving weekend, make a statement. Choose entertainment that edifies and entertains. Be part of a movement for change that is winning. American families are taking back the culture, one movie or series at a time. Hollywood thought we wouldn&#8217;t care.
The market is proving them wrong. And we are just getting started.
* * *
Andrea Picciotti-Bayer is director of the<a href="https://conscience-project.org/"> Conscience Project</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
* * *
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Rear view of a family watching TV on sofa at home.

This Thanksgiving, Choose Movies That Will Bring Your Family Together

Amazon Prime

Family Values

Film

Thanksgiving

Neal McDonough made a career out of playing tough characters. From Lieutenant Lynn &#8220;Buck&#8221; Compton in “Band of Brothers” to the steely villain Michael Beck in “Yellowstone,” McDonough always seems to play someone who sends a chill up your spine.
But offscreen, McDonough’s the polar opposite: warm and kind, committed to faith and family, and on a quest to make movies that touch audiences on a deeper level.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Wire, McDonough opened up about his new film, “Guns N’ Moses,” an independent thriller about a group of orthodox Jews grappling with the aftermath of an attack on their synagogue. He hopes the film will inspire viewers to find connections with those who don’t share their beliefs, and realize that we all have more in common than we may otherwise think.
The actor also discussed why he believes smaller, independent films are filling a gap left by Hollywood.
“Guns N’ Moses” was shot in just 20 days, but boasts impressive production values. McDonough thrives on the challenges of indie filmmaking because, he said, that’s where meaningful stories still get told.
“You couldn’t make a film like this for a big studio because it really goes out on a limb and talks about things,” he explained. “The studios…they’re much more tentpole films now…big, huge, action blockbuster types of films. And they’ve really kind of gotten away from the crafting of ideas for smaller films.”
For McDonough, those smaller films are where the important conversations happen.
“Films like this make you realize that we need to be nicer to each other,” he said. “We can all have our different beliefs, but we all believe in the same all-powerful being that created all of us. So, we should be rooting for each other more.”
A devout Catholic, McDonough said he’s experienced firsthand how speaking openly about faith can bring backlash in the industry. He <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/why-neal-mcdonough-fired-scoundrels-094213107.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made headlines</a> in 2010 after being let go from the ABC drama “Scoundrels” for refusing to participate in intimate scenes or kiss another woman.
“Whenever you stand up for your faith, especially in a positive way, there will be so many people who are ready to take you down,” he said. “They have to have a fight over it. ‘My faith is better than your faith. My color is better than your color. My bank account is bigger than yours.’ It’s kind of exhausting.”
He referenced John Lennon’s “Imagine” as an idealistic vision, but acknowledged that it’s not necessarily realistic.
“Films like Guns N’ Moses talk about the fact that it’s not a better place at times,” he said. “There is hate and there are problems within faiths. Especially now with what’s going on with Israel and the Middle East…it’s really a hard time to figure out: well, what is the truth?”
For McDonough, the answer remains the same. “The truth is always what God says to me in particular. It’s what is God’s idea? God’s idea is we must love each other and we must honor God. Those are the two big things that we’re supposed to be doing.”
In recent years, McDonough and his wife, Ruvé McDonough, a South African model he met while filming “Band of Brothers,” have been producing their own slate of films. Their latest project, “The Last Rodeo,” recently hit top spots on Amazon and Apple.
“People really want to see films that make you think about faith, make you think about Him,” McDonough said. “Doesn’t matter if you’re a Jew or a Christian or Muslim or agnostic or whatever. It makes you think, how can I be a bit better of a person as a husband or as a father, as a coworker, as whatever?”
“A lot of films nowadays don’t allow you to think. They give you the choices and they’ll play the music to swell up to make you think that way. Well, that’s manufacturing a thought process,” he added.
The Hollywood veteran believes films like “Guns N’ Moses” push back against that formula.
“It’s pimples and all. Here’s the film. It’s going to make you think about what your place is in life and how you can make it a better place for everyone else around you.”
For McDonough, it all circles back to the values he holds dear: faith, family, and finding life’s deeper meaning.
“America is the United States of America, not the divided States of America,” he said. “Our country was built upon faith…a Judeo-Christian faith is what it was built upon. It mentions God four times in the Declaration of Independence. It’s on our money. It’s everywhere we go.”
“But somehow we veer away from it because of the temptations that are in front of us. A bigger car, nicer house…You’ll never find happiness if you’re chasing that,” the actor said.
He admitted he used to chase those things himself until he shifted focus to what truly matters.
“Once you start chasing the right thing, two things are going to happen,” he explained. “You’re going to be much more fulfilled because you’re doing the right thing for your Heavenly Father. But it’s also gonna be a lot of people out there who are gonna want to take you down and say horrible things.”
Yet he remains committed to telling stories that encourage audiences to reflect and grow.
“We’re gonna keep on making films like ‘Guns N’ Moses.’ We’re gonna keep on doing films like ‘The Last Rodeo,’ which is killing it right now on video. People want to see films that they can bring the whole family to look at, and have a real discussion about a movie and how we can be better as a society.”
McDonough also dismissed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-lost-the-plot-now-rebels-are-making-movies-great-again" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the notion</a> that conservative Christians are at odds Jewish people. “That’s not true,” he said flatly. “America is really a Judeo-Christian society. I lived in Hancock Park for a long time and all our neighbors were orthodox Jews. And boy, we got along quite well.”
He called the faith traditions “almost exactly identical” in their values and said true believers in any faith respect each other.
“It’s the ones who don’t 100% believe in Him first, me second…then it becomes about you and your personal opinions. Well, it shouldn’t really be your personal opinion. It should be your personal acceptance of God, acceptance of other beliefs, acceptance of everyone.”
“No one is exactly the same. So why should one person think that their belief or their color or their money is better than somebody else’s? It’s all about faith and He built us to love each other, not to hate each other.”
That, McDonough said, is the message at the heart of “Guns N’ Moses.”
“We’re all in this together,” he said. “Shouldn’t we just enjoy each other more instead of hating each other more?”
Despite Hollywood’s frequent hostility toward faith-based storytelling, McDonough is hopeful that independent films can help fill the cultural gap.
“I think Hollywood has really veered off from making films that can help change your life in a better way to making films that can change your life through darkness and through all kinds of crazy stuff. And I’m guilty of being part of a lot of those films,” he admitted. “I have to make a living as an actor.”
“But when it has our name on it for the McDonough Company, you know it’s gonna be a film that is about family, it’s about faith, and it’s about doing the right thing. And ‘Guns N’ Moses’ goes right along with that.”
He’s convinced audiences are hungry for it. “There has to be a common ground,” McDonough said. “We can come together and allow each other to have our different beliefs… and maybe we can enjoy some together and break bread together and have a good conversation.” And that’s the type of filmmaking he intends to keep pursuing.
“Guns N’ Moses” hits theaters July 18. “It’s an important movie,” McDonough said. “You guys gotta go out there and see it.”

Los Angeles Premiere Of “The Shift”

Neal McDonough Talks Faith, Family, And Why He Wants His Movies To Get People Talking

Catholicism

Faith

Neal McDonough

There is something chilling about watching Angel Studios’ documentary “Live Not By Lies!” 
It is not merely a recounting of history, though it does that with remarkable clarity — testimonies of men and women who survived totalitarian communism in Eastern Europe echo across the decades with a resonance we ignore at our peril. 
What is most unsettling about the adaptation of Rod Dreher’s bestselling work, however, is the gnawing realization that their warnings have already become our reality.
The film introduces us to brave Christians who, under Soviet rule, faced surveillance, intimidation, and prison — simply for refusing to pretend that evil was good. As they share their stories, one can’t help but feel the familiarity of it all: the demand to affirm ideologies we know to be false, the punishment for dissent, the slow corrosion of the conscience. The question is no longer “Could it happen here?” but “How far has it already gone?”
The same dynamic Dreher exposes—state and cultural forces colluding to crush dissent — is alive in the contemporary West.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Live Not By Lies | Official Trailer | Streaming April 1 | Angel Studios" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lJh8wJKAnm8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Consider Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, a woman who was arrested not for vandalizing property or committing acts of violence, but for the silent crime of praying in her head near an abortion facility in Birmingham, England. No slogans, no placards — only the private communion of her thoughts with God. She was questioned by police, searched, charged, and brought before a court. She was found innocent – but promptly arrested again weeks later for the very same thoughts in the very same place. Thankfully, after a long and grueling investigation, Isabel won compensation from the police with support from ADF International.
Then there’s Adam Smith-Connor, an army veteran who stood silently and imperceptibly in prayer near another facility in Bournemouth in memory of his lost son. He too was interrogated by police and criminalized for the contents of his conscience – worse, leading to a conviction and a criminal charge. Adam was ordered to pay £9,000 to the court – amounting to perhaps the most expensive three minute prayer in history.
<div id="attachment_624329" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-624329" class="size-large wp-image-624329" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-22-at-12.25.15-PM-1024x574.png" alt="Credit: Alliance Defending Freedom." width="1024" height="574" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-22-at-12.25.15-PM-1024x574.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-22-at-12.25.15-PM-300x168.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-22-at-12.25.15-PM-768x431.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-22-at-12.25.15-PM-1536x861.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-22-at-12.25.15-PM-2048x1148.png 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Alliance Defending Freedom.</div>
These cases are the canaries in the coal mine. They warn us of what happens when the state arrogates to itself the power to police interior conviction. In the novel “1984,” George Orwell called this “thoughtcrime.” Today in Britain, it is called a “buffer zone,” but the principle is identical: certain beliefs must not merely be suppressed — they must be eradicated from the public square.
“Live Not By Lies!” is a clarion call to rediscover moral courage. Dreher draws on the legacy of Vaclav Havel, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and countless ordinary Christians who refused to live by the lie. They were forced to pretend that the Party was infallible, that Marxism was inevitable, that the State was God. Today, our cultural commissars demand our allegiance to a different set of dogmas — that biological sex is a construct, that unborn life is disposable, that faith belongs behind closed doors and never in public life. But the impulse is the same: bow, or be broken.
The documentary is a reminder that resistance begins not with grand gestures, but with the refusal to speak untruth. When the authorities came to interrogate believers in Prague, they demanded not only compliance but confession: “Say that you agree. Say that you believe.” Many would not. For this, they lost jobs, were blacklisted, even imprisoned. Yet their refusal to say what they did not believe was the seed from which freedom eventually grew.
<div id="attachment_943085" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.angel.com/watch/live-not-by-lies"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943085" class="size-large wp-image-943085" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-04-Jul-2025-12-53-PM-1283-407x576.jpg" alt="Angel Studios" width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-04-Jul-2025-12-53-PM-1283-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-04-Jul-2025-12-53-PM-1283-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-04-Jul-2025-12-53-PM-1283-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-04-Jul-2025-12-53-PM-1283-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-04-Jul-2025-12-53-PM-1283-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-04-Jul-2025-12-53-PM-1283-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" /></a>Angel Studios</div>
How many today are willing to pay that price? We like to imagine ourselves as different — more sophisticated, more democratic, more tolerant. But the evidence mounts that our culture is simply addicted to a softer form of totalism: enforced conformity through the threat of professional ruin, reputational assassination, or — if you dare to pray silently — criminal prosecution.
There is no more potent illustration of this drift than the prosecutions of Vaughan-Spruce and Smith-Connor. In each case, the state claimed to be protecting “vulnerable women,” yet no evidence was presented that these individuals harassed or intimidated anyone. The real issue was that their mere presence — and their silent prayers — expressed a conviction the state deems intolerable. The Soviets called it “anti-Soviet agitation.” We call it “interference.” In both cases, the thought itself is the crime.
Some will say these comparisons are overwrought. They are not. For the Christian who believes God is Lord of both conscience and public life, there is no partition between belief and expression. The attempt to criminalize that wholeness — to tell a person they may think but not manifest their convictions — is precisely what totalitarian systems have always done. Dreher’s work, and this film, make clear that it begins with a creeping fear to speak, and ends with a culture that cannot remember how.
If we are to resist, we must start by telling the truth. No law should compel a citizen to lie — whether about the humanity of the unborn, the nature of marriage, or the sanctity of prayer. And no government has authority over the secret dialogue of the soul with its Creator. To surrender this is to surrender everything.
* * *
Lois McLatchie Miller (@LoisMcLatch) is a Scottish commentator and Senior Legal Communications Officer for Alliance Defending Freedom UK.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Propaganda poster : Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Lenin and Stalin, 1953.

‘Live Not By Lies’: A Documentary Whose Warnings We Dare Not Ignore

Books

Documentaries

England

Great Britain

The animated, bible-based film “The King of Kings” managed to perform almost as well in its second week as it did during the film’s premiere, bringing in $17.2 million over Easter weekend after a record-breaking $19.1 million debut.
The past weekend&#8217;s earnings represent only a 10% decrease in revenue, which is among the 50 lowest percentage revenue drops for any movie that had a theatrical opening, per <a href="https://screenrant.com/king-of-kings-movie-low-second-week-drop-box-office-milestone/">Screen Rant</a>. This is significantly better than the industry average second-weekend drop, which usually ranges from 50% to 60%.
“The King of Kings” came in third at the box office behind “Sinners” and “A Minecraft Movie.” The film has made just over $45 million, making it the second-highest-grossing movie for Angel Studios, behind 2023’s unexpected hit, “Sound of Freedom.”
In its debut weekend, “The King of Kings” also broke the record set by “The Prince of Egypt” for most money earned by an animated biblical film during its premiere. “The Prince of Egypt” (1998) went on to earn over $100 million domestically.
“The King of Kings” has been a massive hit with critics and audiences, too. It currently has a 65% critic score and 98% audience score on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_king_of_kings">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.
The reviewer from The San Francisco Chronicle noted the film’s “whimsical Dickensian touches.” &#8220;The King of Kings” is based on Charles Dickens&#8217; book, “The Life of Our Lord.” He also called the movie “amusing and possibly enlightening Easter entertainment for younger children.”
Most moviegoers were generous with their praise. One reviewer said it was “a visually captivating animated film that brings the story of Jesus to life through the imaginative lens of Charles Dickens narrating to his son.”
“The film’s heartfelt message of hope, love, and redemption resonates strongly with faith-based audiences. A great film for all !! Tastefully done,” he added.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The King Of Kings | Official Trailer | In theaters April 11 | Angel Studios" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HDhet3EVRac?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Another agreed, writing, “This was so captivating! Entertains adults and kids. It is full of truth and light. I’d recommend to everyone!”
A synopsis of the film says, “A father tells his son the greatest story ever told, and what begins as a bedtime tale becomes a life-changing journey. Through vivid imagination, the boy walks alongside Jesus, witnessing His miracles, facing His trials, and understanding His ultimate sacrifice. The King of Kings invites us to rediscover the enduring power of hope, love, and redemption through the eyes of a child.”

King of Kings

‘King Of Kings’ Holds Strong Over Easter Weekend With Surprisingly Low Revenue Drop

'King Of Kings' Holds Strong Over Easter Weekend With Surprisingly Low Revenue Drop

U.S.

The biblical-based film “The King of Kings” was released on Friday, and it’s already expected to break records. The Angel Studios production racked up $14.6 million in ticket pre-sales, per <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/04/king-of-kings-box-office-presales-1236366250/">Deadline</a>, putting it on track to surpass the massively successful DreamWorks film &#8220;The Prince of Egypt&#8221; (1998), which currently holds the title of best opening for a biblical film at $14.5 million. 
The outlet noted that one million tickets were sold in advance, thanks in large part to the studio’s “Kids go Free” campaign, which allows one free kid’s ticket for every adult ticket purchased.
“The King of Kings” debuts in more than 3,200 locations nationwide this weekend. A synopsis <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TaylorTheater/photos/a-father-tells-his-son-the-greatest-story-ever-told-and-what-begins-as-a-bedtime/1195472525696747/?_rdr">says</a>, “A father tells his son the greatest story ever told, and what begins as a bedtime tale becomes a life-changing journey. Through vivid imagination, the boy walks alongside Jesus, witnessing His miracles, facing His trials, and understanding His ultimate sacrifice. The King of Kings invites us to rediscover the enduring power of hope, love, and redemption through the eyes of a child.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The King Of Kings | Official Trailer | In theaters April 11 | Angel Studios" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HDhet3EVRac?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Just like the Prince of Egypt drew families to theaters, our Angel Guild has supported this film through presales and strong word-of-mouth since it entered the Angel ecosystem,” Brandon Purdie, Global Head of Theatrical Distribution &amp; Brand Development at Angel told Deadline. “Charles Dickens had a tradition of sharing this story with his family and we hope that The King of Kings will become a part of the Easter tradition for families around the globe.”
The Daily Wire was on the red carpet at the premiere this week to speak with the film’s creators and stars about working on the faith-based film. 
When asked what it’s like bringing the Bible back to the big screen, director Seong-Ho Jang said (via translator), “I felt the duty as a Christian to spread His word,” the director said, expressing surprise that no major studios were willing to take on the task. 
Jang said he considered it a “miracle” that major stars such as Uma Thurman and Pierce Brosnan signed on for the project. 
Voice actor Jim Cummings, who voices Pharisee Hillel, said he was convinced to do the project when his agent pitched it as “the greatest story ever told.” He also mentioned being an altar boy from way back, which he said made the project even more important to him. Cummings is best known for being the official voice of Winnie the Pooh since 1988. 
“The King of Kings” currently has a 66% critic score and 96% audience rating on review aggregator <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_king_of_kings">Rotten Tomatoes</a>. 
The reviewer from The San Francisco Chronicle noted the film’s “whimsical Dickensian touches,” which relates back to the fact that “The King of Kings” is based on the Charles Dickens book, “The Life of Our Lord.” He also called the movie “amusing and possibly enlightening Easter entertainment for younger children.”
Most moviegoers were effusive with their praise. One reviewer said it was “a visually captivating animated film that brings the story of Jesus to life through the imaginative lens of Charles Dickens narrating to his son.” 
“The film&#8217;s heartfelt message of hope, love, and redemption resonates strongly with faith-based audiences. A great film for all !! Tastefully done,” he added.
Another agreed, writing, “This was so captivating! Entertains adults and kids. It is full of truth and light. I&#8217;d recommend to everyone!”

Animated Biblical Film ‘The King Of Kings’ Poised To Break Box Office Records

Animated Biblical Film 'The King Of Kings' Poised To Break Box Office Records

Animation

Faith-based content has exploded in new media and is increasingly piercing through mainstream culture, culminating in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rosary-in-a-year-podcast-debuts-at-number-one-topping-joe-rogan-dateline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian podcast</a> overtaking top-dog &#8220;The Joe Rogan Experience&#8221; on Apple podcasts.
The Daily Wire has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gods-not-done-with-our-country-the-faith-based-boom-in-new-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tracking</a> the faith-based trend for a few years now, which included the rise of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1887889674971108" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Angel Studios</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-couple-more-people-in-heaven-would-be-nice-hallow-ceo-talks-success-of-catholic-app-rise-of-faith-based-content" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prayer and meditation app Hallow</a> &#8212; and Christian content has only continued to grow, specifically making massive inroads in the podcast space, where there are no gatekeepers.
Ascension&#8217;s prayer-focused podcast &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rosary-in-a-year-podcast-debuts-at-number-one-topping-joe-rogan-dateline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Rosary in a Year</a>,&#8221; which is hosted by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ascensionpress/reel/DEfyGOoyaH8/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Father Mark-Mary Ames</a>, recently debuted at No. 1 on the Apple podcast charts in all categories, topping even podcast behemoth Joe Rogan, prompting celebratory and good-natured headlines about &#8220;Rosary over Rogan.&#8221;
“I think there are a lot of people out there who are serious about their faith and they&#8217;re hungry and they&#8217;re thirsty for more, and so when there are resources out there that are substantial, they really are drawn to them,&#8221; Fr. Mark-Mary told The Daily Wire in an interview on Monday.
&#8220;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rosary-in-a-year-with-fr-mark-mary-ames/id1776236328" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Rosary in a Year</a>&#8221; follows Ascension&#8217;s breakout hit from 2021, &#8220;The Bible in a Year&#8221; podcast, which is hosted by a Father Mike Schmitz, a charismatic priest serving in Minnesota. The listenership for &#8220;Bible in a Year&#8221; is massive, garnering well over 700 million downloads; “Rosary in A Year” could be on track for similar numbers. After debuting in the top spot on the Apple charts, it still remains in the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/charts">top ten</a>. 
And there are many other Christian shows gaining steam in the podcast space. Catholic discussion podcasts “Pints with Aquinas” and Bishop Robert Barron&#8217;s “The Word on Fire” each get millions of views just on Youtube, and Allie Beth Stuckey’s podcast “Relatable,&#8221; which mixes politics and Christianity, gets comparable numbers.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl%3D1*1lail3r*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzIyMDEyNDkuQ2owS0NRaUEwZnU1QmhEUUFSSXNBTVhVQk9JSkM0VnNsMFVreURxYXUxVWVEVWdOdjZkNzR2Y1pEeEZQeHVBcGl2R3BLaTdBMjVzT1p5TWFBdG1nRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*NDUxNDQ0NzYwLjE3MzY3ODI2NDY.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczNjk1NzYwMy4zNDAuMS4xNzM2OTU3NzE2LjYwLjAuMA..&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1737044212122000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mp2MZNwEXBk00lKmCtOss">CELEBRATE #47 WITH 47% OFF DAILYWIRE+ MEMBERSHIPS + A FREE $20 GIFT</a>
Hallow, which has been endorsed by stars like Mark Wahlberg and Gwen Stefani, also brings in staggering numbers. The app has over 22 million installs, and around Easter time last year, Hallow landed at the No. 1 spot on the Apple App Store – marking the first time a health, wellness, meditation, or religious app ever accomplished such a feat.
Stand-alone faith-based content is not where it stops, either. Reigning podcast king Joe Rogan has increasingly been bringing on Christian perspective guests. The same week &#8220;Rosary In a Year&#8221; was climbing the Apple charts, Rogan dropped a highly anticipated episode with biblical scholar <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwyAX69xG1Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wesley Huff</a>. Just one week later, he brought on outspoken Catholic actor Mel Gibson, who is currently working on a sequel to the massively successful “Passion of the Christ&#8221; film. Moreover, all of this comes as Rogan himself has drastically changed his tone toward Christianity, from openly hostile years ago to seemingly curious in 2025.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Mel Gibson on the Resurrection and Christ&#8217;s rising from the dead to walk among us again: &#8220;Buddha didn&#8217;t do that shit&#8221;. Classic. <a href="https://t.co/w0LRZj6UpY">pic.twitter.com/w0LRZj6UpY</a>
— Mike &#8220;The KingDude&#8221; Church, Talk Radio &amp; TV Host (@TheKingDude) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheKingDude/status/1877673271501426764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
The discussion of faith on Rogan&#8217;s podcast is a prime example of faith breaking through the mainstream. &#8220;The Joe Rogan Experience&#8221; audience is mostly male and not particularly religious – and the reach is massive. It&#8217;s the most popular podcast on Spotify, with 14.5 million followers, and episodes average around 11 million views each. Huff&#8217;s episode is already nearing 5 million views on YouTube, and Gibson&#8217;s has racked up more than 7 million views.
Fr. Mark-Mary is not at all surprised about Christian content busting through the mainstream, and isn&#8217;t sure how anyone could be.
“I think it&#8217;s funny how people are kind of being surprised that some of this Christian content is resonating with people and doing so well,&#8221; he told The Daily Wire. &#8220;And it just strikes me as, it&#8217;s a very modern sort of worldview that wouldn&#8217;t view God as mainstream. God, who is the creator of everything &#8230; the idea of this being mainstream is the most reasonable thing in the world to me. And so, I&#8217;m grateful that it&#8217;s sort of breaking through again and reminding us that people are made by God, made for God.&#8221;
While the Christian content trend is undeniable, polling shows a more complex picture.
An average of all 2023 Gallup polling found that about <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/358364/religious-americans.aspx">22%</a> of Americans are not affiliated with religion, which is the highest it’s ever been. And nearly half of all Zoomers, those born between 1997 and 2012, are not religiously affiliated, according to a 2022 YouGov survey. But there&#8217;s also data showing a shift toward religion. A Springtide Research Institute survey from 2023, for example, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/is-gen-z-going-back-to-church">found</a> that a third of people aged 18 to 25 believe more than doubt the existence of a higher power. That’s an increase from only about a quarter in 2021. 
There are also other signs, like the significant spike in <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/bible-sales-booming-despite-decline-religiosity-first-time-buyer-says-its-about-finding-purpose" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bible sales</a>; or more anecdotal happenings, like the trend online of noticing <a href="https://x.com/JonnyRoot_/status/1874985779690352857">more</a> athletes talking about their <a href="https://cbn.com/news/entertainment/god-moving-football-players-point-jesus-and-field-giving-hope-fans">faith</a>, or arguably the most popular comedian in the mainstream right now, Nate Bargatze, being a clean Christian comic who speaks openly about his faith.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Speaking of vibe shifts, pretty wild to think that the top grossing comedian of 2024 is an unabashed Christian. <a href="https://t.co/EbMT8n6yke">pic.twitter.com/EbMT8n6yke</a>
— Megan Basham (@megbasham) <a href="https://twitter.com/megbasham/status/1877432032181072140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
At the same time, though, it’s undeniable that there’s a more extreme push away from God in the mainstream. A prime example of that is the explosion and normalization of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-is-how-we-stop-the-festering-disease-called-onlyfans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OnlyFans</a>, which is largely a subscription pornography site.
&#8220;Each person&#8217;s story certainly is going to be unique, but I do think that one thing that can bring many people to God &#8212; and it happens in individuals and it can happen in a society &#8212; is a distaste or a disillusionment of some of the other options out there,&#8221; Fr. Mark-Mary said of the polarity in the culture. 
&#8220;Okay, here are the proposed worldviews, here are the proposed lifestyles &#8212; many young people, or people in general, have tried it a little bit and they&#8217;re like, no, that is just not what I&#8217;m looking for,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;So they go looking somewhere else, and it brings them to the Lord, or to being more serious about their faith.&#8221;
&#8220;I do think that God uses that to bring people to Him,&#8221; Fr. Mark-Mary added.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-couple-more-people-in-heaven-would-be-nice-hallow-ceo-talks-success-of-catholic-app-rise-of-faith-based-content" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘A Couple More People In Heaven Would Be Nice’: Hallow CEO Talks Success Of Catholic App, Rise Of Faith-Based Content</a>

Rosary in a Year, Joe Rogan

The Christian Content Takeover: Why ‘Rosary Over Rogan’ Is Bigger Than You Think

Joe Rogan

Religion

World

Angel Studios said it has raised more than $11 million in just the first 5 days following the launch of a new fundraising campaign to “revolutionize entertainment.”
In a press release from the studio — that brought such hits as the faith-centered movies “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sound-of-freedom-beats-taylor-swift-to-finish-in-top-ten-at-2023-domestic-box-office">Sound of Freedom</a>” and “Cabrini” — it said that a new <a href="https://fansinvest.angel.com/">investment campaign</a> called <a href="https://usw2.nyl.as/t1/152/z15bycqxw9bdks98gnqfs3pj/1/a8d795f5db581da7c8f65722cb9905e35ffe90ccf523bac74c8e7a5d08a4e54a">Regulation A+ (Reg A+) </a>offering, has been a very successful way for the company to expand its Angel Guild, the community that drives the investment in projects to “distribute films and tv shows.” 
“In Hollywood, a handful of elites in an LA boardroom decide what the world watches. At Angel Studios, we believe viewers know best,” Jeffrey Harmon, co-founder and Chief Content Officer at Angel Studios, said.
“That’s why we can’t even consider a film unless the Angel Guild first greenlights it,” he added. “With over 360,000 members from 150+ countries, the Guild is already in the driver’s seat.”
“Through this offering, we hope to grow the Guild to over one million members,” Harmon continued. “We believe that reaching that milestone will make Angel Studios a true movement, a driving force in the entertainment landscape.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Angel Studios, Distributor of &#8216;Sound of Freedom,&#8217; Raises Over $10 Million for Crowdfunded Film and TV Projects <a href="https://t.co/9BvCfPSpf4">https://t.co/9BvCfPSpf4</a>
— Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1831417839258931563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
Some of the successes the Angel Guild is responsible for include the launch of films like “THE SHIFT,” and “AFTER DEATH,”  and TV series such as Tuttle Twins, Wingfeather Saga, Freelancers, and Young David, the press release noted.
Not to mention projects the studio said it’s working on for release later this year like the apocalyptic film/TV “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/studio-behind-sound-of-freedom-ready-to-release-new-apocalyptic-film-tv-series-homestead">HOMESTEAD</a>,” along with “at least seven movies and seven TV series planned for 2025,” the release noted.
Earlier this year, The DailyWire+ and Angel Studios <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dailywire-strikes-deal-with-angel-studios-for-sound-of-hope-get-showtimes-now">announced</a> a partnership to release Peacetree Productions’ inspirational film “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot.” 
“We are thrilled to partner with Angel Studios, a company that not only shares our commitment to creating impactful and meaningful entertainment but also excels in doing so,” Jeremy Boreing, co-founder and co-CEO of The Daily Wire, said. 
“Speaking as the father of an adopted daughter myself, ‘Sound of Hope’ is truly inspirational,” he added. “We know it will resonate deeply with our audience – and far beyond – and has the power to make a true cultural impact for kids and families in crisis. We want millions to see this film.”
In 2023, Angel Studios was one of the top 10 studios at the US domestic box office, surpassing Amazon&#8217;s MGM and A24, with its audience-driven model, the release noted.
More information about becoming a member of the Angel Guild can be found <a href="https://fansinvest.angel.com/">here</a>.

Sound of Hope

Angel Studios Raises More Than $11 Million In New Efforts To ‘Revolutionize Entertainment’

Angel Studios Raises More Than $10 Million In New Efforts To 'Revolutionize Entertainment'

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Sound of freedom

The Daily Wire

“Black Panther” star Letitia Wright — who is an executive producer of “<a href="https://www.angel.com/tickets/sound-of-hope-the-story-of-possum-trot?utm_source=The+Daily+Wire&amp;utm_medium=partner&amp;utm_campaign=dailywire&amp;utm_content=dailywire&amp;codes=DAILYWIRE&amp;oid=35&amp;_ef_transaction_id=dee764931a7745c491a7dab741acd5df&amp;promo=dailywire">Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot</a>” — blasted The Daily Wire’s partnership with Angel Studios to release the hit movie, prompting a direct response from Daily Wire co-CEO Jeremy Boreing. 
“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sound-of-hope">Sound of Hope</a>” was released in theaters on July 4 and quickly took off, surpassing box office expectations and bringing in $6.8 million over the holiday weekend. Despite the film’s success in bringing attention to the foster care crisis, some on the Left focused on Angel Studios’ partnership with The Daily Wire. Wright released a statement on social media, saying she is “in no way aligned or affiliated with” the conservative company. 
Multiple Hollywood news outlets, including Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Weekly, and Variety, covered Wright’s rebuke of the Angel Studios-Daily Wire partnership. 
“To be clear, after we completed the production of this film, Angel Studios were brought on board to handle its distribution and they later partnered with The Daily Wire. That was not my decision, and I was not given an update or made aware of this decision. I am in no way aligned or affiliated with The Daily Wire,” Wright <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9GWT_lIOXY/?hl=en&amp;img_index=3">wrote</a> on Instagram. “It’s a shame to see pockets of discourse online take a divisive political turn. This story isn’t about politics, it’s about children. Any conversation that detracts from that is unnecessary and harmful.” 
“I am thankful for all who want to positively champion this film and campaign to serve children,” Wright added. “However, I do not condone using this beautiful film for divisive political purposes. That is not why I joined the project.”
Boreing, who announced his company’s partnership with Angel Studios on “Sound of Hope” last month, <a href="https://x.com/JeremyDBoreing/status/1811157424142741580">responded</a>, saying that even if there are political differences between Wright and the conservative media outlet, it’s more important to focus on the film’s message of “a community banding together to help kids in need.” 
“On its opening day &#8211; July 4th – Sound of Hope was one of the highest grossing films nationwide, second only to Disney&#8217;s biggest release of the year. This movie is tracking to be huge and has the potential to launch a movement to end America’s foster crisis,” Boreing wrote on X. “The Daily Wire is truly honored to partner with Angel Studios on such an important project. But, such is the intolerance of the modern left that instead of celebrating this accomplishment and all it might mean, one of the film’s producers, Letitia Wright of Black Panther fame, used the occasion to condemn The Daily Wire’s involvement in sharing this message across the country.” 
“Letitia and I probably don’t share the same politics, but I believe we share a Christian faith and, more importantly, the same goal of shining a light on something we can all agree on &#8211; a community banding together to help kids in need,” Boreing added. “We hope people don’t allow this distraction to steal from the message from the film and the impact it can have. Everyone should see this movie and join the fight for kids. It’s too important not to.” 
Angel Studios President Jordan Harmon also responded to Wright’s statement, <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/07/letitia-wright-sound-of-hope-daily-wire-1236006412/">saying</a>, “This powerful film takes a stand for vulnerable kids, and we’re pursuing partners who are passionate about this fight. Angel Studios is grateful for both Letitia and Daily Wire’s partnership on getting this story out into the world, and everyone concerned about the foster care and adoption crisis to get involved and see Sound of Hope.”
“Sound of Hope” is based on the inspiring true story of Donna and Reverend Martin, a couple who joined 22 families from their rural black church in the small East Texas town of Possum Trot to adopt 77 of the most difficult-to-place kids in the foster system.
The movie sits at an impressive 98% <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sound_of_hope_the_story_of_possum_trot">Rotten Tomatoes</a> audience score and an A+ CinemaScore rating.

Letitia Wright/Jeremy Boreing

‘Sound Of Hope’ Exec Producer Letitia Wright Condemns Daily Wire’s Partnership With The Film. Jeremy Boreing Responds.

'Sound Of Hope' Exec Producer Letitia Wright Condemns Daily Wire’s Partnership With The Film. Jeremy Boreing Responds.

Jeremy Boreing

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