Sound of Freedom came out of nowhere to become one of the biggest movie hits of last summer.
But the studio behind the film is just getting started.
And Sound of Freedom’s studio announced one plan that forced Hollywood to take notice.
Sound of Freedom was the surprise movie hit of 2023 when it earned $249.1 million to become one of the most successful independent films of all time.
It beat out established Hollywood franchises Indiana Jones and Mission Impossible in the competitive summer movie season at the box office.
Now the studio behind the film is looking to parlay the success of Sound of Freedom into bigger things.
Angel Studios building on Sound of Freedom’s success
Utah-based Angel Studios had no idea what a phenomenon Sound of Freedom would become after they bought the rights to the film from Disney.
The small studio was vaulted into the national spotlight because of its sleeper hit.
Angel Studios executives told TheWarp they hope to build the studio into a recognizable brand like independent studio A24.
A24 is the studio behind Oscar-winner Everything Everywhere All at Once and hits like Adam Sandler’s Uncut Gems.
“People go to A24 movies because they’re A24 movies,” Angel Studios co-founder Jeff Harmon said. “The hope is that audiences will do the same with Angel, that by seeing the logo the audience knows there’s a level of quality and brand identity they can rely on.”
The studio is taking a different tack with its entertainment compared to a typical Hollywood studio.
“You’ve got the Marvel Universe, you’ve got the Star Wars universe, you’ve got the Fast and the Furious franchise,” Jeff Harmon said. “We kind of see our films as a family universe.”
Sound of Freedom sequel
Angel Studios bought the rights to Sound of Freedom from Disney who had acquired it when they bought Fox’s movie business.
Currently, any plans for a sequel are on hold because of a complicated situation around the movie rights.
“Instead, this April, it is debuting six titles at CinemaCon, the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) where Angel will be presenting alongside major studios like Warner Bros. The slate will showcase Angel’s upcoming films Sight, Possum Trot and Homestead as well as ‘some surprise announcements,’” TheWrap reported.
Angel Studios plans to be more than just a faith-based film studio by expanding its reach to people who want to see a good movie as well as the faithful.
The success of Sound of Freedom has made it possible for Angel Studios to have a chance to reach the next level in the movie business.
