The Christian film made it into the top five over the weekend, beating out new big-budget films after fans gave it a perfect A+ rating on CinemaScore. Forge (PG) The latest film from brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick. Open It ranked fifth over the weekend, grossing an estimated $6.6 million, but was shown in only 1,818 theaters, significantly fewer than the top four films, which were shown in over 3,000 theaters. Forge Beat a new movie made with a budget of $50 million Crowcame in eighth with an estimated gross of $4.6 million.
Average of $3,630 per theater Forge It was ranked third out of all movies.
On the other hand, A+ CinemaScore With this recognition, director Alex Kendrick becomes just the fourth director in film history to receive a perfect score, joining fellow faith-based filmmaker John Irwin, who has four films with A+ CinemaScores. Kendrick’s other A+ films include: Overcomer (2019), War Room (2015) and Brave (2011).
CinemaScore is a survey service that asks fans to rate movies on their opening weekend. Perfect scores are rare. The other two new movies opening this weekend are: Crow and Blink twiceand received a B rating.
The film tells the story of an irresponsible young man who grows into a responsible person under the guidance of a wise older mentor.
Producer Stephen Kendrick Forgesaid he and his brother measure a film’s success not by its box office take, but by the impact it has on the soul.
“If there’s box office numbers in the world and they represent souls and lives, then reaching as many people as possible with the gospel is a yes and an amen,” Kendrick told Crosswalk Headlines. “Part of the question for us is, have we followed what God has told us to do and have we given it our all and made an offering that is worthy of Him.
“But overall, we hope and pray that the church will be strengthened, the lost will be saved and the gospel will be spread,” he added. “It’s hard to calculate or measure, but when we hear people from all over the world talk about how the film has changed their lives, it gives us a little preview of what’s to come.”
Related: 4 Things Families Need to Know About the Kendrick Brothers’ New Release, ‘The Forge’
Watch: The Forge – Official Trailer (HD)
Photo credit: ©Sony
Michael Faust He has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years, and his work has appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star and Knoxville News Sentinel.
