High demand for faith-based films means more on the cinema docket.The Christian film industry had a banner year in 2018, with successful titles like Paul, Apostle of Christ and I Can Only Imagine making big waves in the box office. The latter, in particular, demonstrated that there is a huge market for Christian-based films, as the biopic on the band MercyMe brought in $83 million on a $7 million budget.
The trend is continuing in 2019, as a variety of films with Christian themes and values have already been released and there are more on the way. These movies are great for the whole family and a perfect way to spend a couple of hours out of the heat in the upcoming summer months.
We’ve assembled a list of some Christian movies that have already been released this year, as well as a few that will be dropping in the months to come. Here’s a look at the films we’re most excited to see.
1 – Emanuel
Emanuel is a documentary that offers a look into the chilling events of the Charleston Church Shooting of 2015. Just 48 hours after a white supremacist opened fire in the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the families of many of the nine people who lost their lives offered the killer their forgiveness.
The documentary examines the history of race relations in Charleston and features interviews with the survivors. The emotionally charged film was only in theaters on June 17 and June 19, but the powerful movie is bound to be picked up by a streaming service.
2 – XL: The Temptation of Christ
While The Passion of the Christ presented a realistic vision of the final days of Jesus’ ministry, XL: The Temptation of Christ is a movie about the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert prior to his Passion. This film tries to stay true to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke as it depicts the hardships and temptations that Christ experienced in this time.
This movie was released in time for Easter and is sure to be made available for purchase or streaming soon.
3 – Breakthrough
Based on actual events, Breakthrough follows the story of a mother’s unfaltering love in the face of insurmountable odds. When her son falls through an iced over lake, Joyce Smith maintains a firm and true faith and inspires her entire community her to pray for her son’s recovery. The movie is a gripping reminder of the power of prayer.
Breakthrough was very successful in the box office, practically quintupling its budget by bringing in $50 million.
4 – Overcomer
From the creators of the hit film War Room, Overcomer is a movie about taking the trials of life as they come and turning them into success. When a small town’s factory goes down and the residents begin to leave, the local high school basketball coach is forced to change sports. Coaching a sport he doesn’t know too much about, and with only one student on the team, the coach struggles with his own ego to find a way to make the best out of the situation.
Look for Overcomer to reach theaters on August 23.
5 – The Islands
The Islands is the movie we’re most excited about, not least because of the downright gorgeous shots of Hawaii. The film follows the true story of High Chiefess Kapi’olani, an important figure of the Hawaiian nobility during the time of the founding of the Kingdom of Hawai’i and the arrival of Christian missionaries.
During this time of clashing cultures, Kapi’olani converted to Christianity and eventually descended into a volcano in order to demonstrate the firmness of her new-found faith. The film makes the viewer question how far they are willing to go for their own beliefs.
Look for The Islands to hit theaters on September 20.
