Faith on Film

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With “The Passion of the Christ” at number 16 in the top grossing films of all time, how have other Christian movies performed at the box office? Let’s take a look at Christian cinema and some of its most popular releases.

Christian Voices

1 in 10

Movies produced per year in Hollywood with a Christian basis (1)

The Dove Foundation, an organization whose main goal is to survey family-friendly entertainment, conducted a public opinion poll regarding perception of the entertainment industry. What did they find? (1)

94% of those surveyed felt that offensive material in movies and TV is increasing.

93% wish to see more family-friendly entertainment.

77% agreed that most entertainment “did not meet their expectations or reinforce values important to them.”

77%

Percentage of American adults identifying as Christian in 2012 poll (2)

Top Grossing Christian Movies

Here is a look at some of the highest-grossing Christian films in history compared to comparably successful secular films: (3, 4, 5)

“The Passion of the Christ”

Year

2004

Synopsis

The final hours and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Lifetime gross

$370,782,930

Compare to

“Spider-Man 2”

2004

$373,377,893

“Heaven is for Real”

Year

2014

Synopsis

A father’s struggle to find the courage to support his son, whose near-death experience gave him a glimpse of heaven.

Lifetime gross

$91,443,253

Compare to

“The Karate Kid”

1984

$90,800,000

“God’s Not Dead”

Year

2014

Synopsis

A college philosophy professor is challenged by a Christian student’s beliefs.

Lifetime gross

$60,755,732

Compare to

“Baby Mama”

2008

$60,269,340

“Son of God”

Year

2014

Synopsis

The life story of Jesus Christ, from his birth to his crucifixion and ultimate resurrection.

Lifetime gross

$59,700,064

Compare to

“The Godfather: Part II”

1974

$57,300,000

“Soul Surfer”

Year

2011

Synopsis

After losing her arm in a shark attack, a surfer must use her Christian faith as a springboard for taking risks again.

Lifetime gross

$43,853,424

Compare to

“Quarantine”

2008

$41,319,906

“The Nativity Story”

Year

2006

Synopsis

The lives and hardships of Mary, mother of Jesus, and Joseph as they travel to Bethlehem.

Lifetime gross

$37,629,831

Compare to

“Mars Needs Moms”

2011

$38,992,758

“Courageous”

2011

Synopsis

Four police offers struggling to balance work and fatherhood, as well as their faith.

Lifetime gross

$34,522,221

Compare to

“The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones”

2013

$34,000,000

“Fireproof”

Year

2008

Synopsis

A firefighter facing possible divorce accepts God and things begin to change for the better.

Lifetime gross

$33,456,317

Compare to

“Red Planet”

2000

$33,463,969

Crossover Success

Not only is “The Passion” the top-grossing Christian-themed film in history, it’s also high on the list of all top-grossing films in the U.S.: (4)

Rank, film, U.S. box office gross

1, Avatar, $759,562,778

2, Titanic, $600,788,188

3, The Dark Knight, $533,184,219

4, Star Wars: Episode IV, A New Hope, $460,998,007

5, Shrek 2, $437,212,000

6, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, $434,974,579

7, Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace, $431,088,301

8, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, $423,416,000

9, Toy Story 3, $414,638,013

10, Spider-Man, $407,681,000

11, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, $402,076,689

12, Star Wars: Episode III, Revenge of the Sith, $380,270,577

13, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, $378,181,000

14, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, $377,019,252

15, Spider-Man 2, $373,377,893

16, The Passion of the Christ, $370,782,930

17, Jurassic Park, $357,067,947

18, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, $351,903,000

19, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, $341,748,130

20, Finding Nemo, $339,714,978

Sources:

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