The summer box office has been a hit or miss for major studios, while Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part 1 is doing solid business worldwide, Elemental and The Flash have had underwhelming returns for Disney and Warner Bros. The Flash in particular has been a bomb. It was supposed to act as a reset for the franchise, however, it may be a bad omen for the future of the DCEU. However, after numerous letdowns at the box office this summer, one film is prospering, and it just passed $100 million dollars.
The Sound of Freedom is an independent thriller film centered around child sex trafficking. While on the surface, the movie is a traditional small-budget thriller with some recognizable names like Mia Sorvino and Bill Camp, this movie has had some serious legs, according to Angel Studios. Since its July 4 opening, the film has surpassed $100 million dollars at the domestic box office and it had a $14.5 million budget. Its success has been surprising because this is not the kind of movie that normally gets this kind of theatrical returns. This hasn’t been the only sneaky success this summer though, as the indie horror-comedy The Blackening had decent returns as it went up against films like Indiana Jones 5.
The Sound of Freedom has been controversial according to NPR. It was produced by Angel Studios, which relies on crowdfunding for many of its projects. Also, it has been backed by conservative and faith-based activist groups as it appeals to many of those audiences. Critics of the film have noted its approach to telling a story about child trafficking, claiming it plays into narratives that fuel the far-right QAnon conspiracy theories. QAnon isn’t directly addressed in the film, but the movie has been supported by many right-wing activist groups and public figures, and special screenings have been shown by right-wing politicians, per The Hill.
While the film has faced controversy, Angel Studios is getting its biggest hit yet, and the film has made a massive profit. In a statement on the film’s success by Jared Geesey, SVP of Global Distribution at Angel Studios, he referred to the film as a “grassroots movement of everyday people” and criticized the “top-down system developed by Hollywood gatekeepers.” The viewpoint seems to suggest that he believes that the movie’s success can be attributed to the appeal to “everyday people” rather than traditional Hollywood audiences.
We will have to see how the Sound of Freedom holds up against the predicted profitable “Barbenheimer” weekend, but as of now, it has had some staying power. This could be a one-off, but it could indicate a shift in the interest of audiences. While smaller movies like this one and The Blackening have been successful, The Flash tanking could be an indicator of “superhero fatigue.” We will have to wait and see, as even more superhero films by Marvel and DC are planned for later this year.
You can catch both The Flash and The Sound of Freedom in theaters nationwide. We will continue to track the box office on these projects and how they may reflect audience interests. For more information on other films hitting cinemas later this year, make sure to consult our 2023 movie release schedule.
