Not only the creators of “Sound Of Freedom” celebrate their action thriller as the “number one movie in America”, but also many right-wing and conservative opinion leaders in the US, including ex-President Donald Trump. When it opened on July 4, just in time for American Independence Day, “Sound Of Freedom” topped the box office with $14.2 million – ahead of “Indiana Jones and the Wheel of Destiny” with $11.7 million dollars.
It was only one day in first place before Harrison Ford’s archaeologist took first place again on July 5. But especially for such an unknown film, the revenue is still remarkable – even if it didn’t just come about in the usual way…
Rating of the songs for “Sound Of Freedom”
Angel Studios, specializing in uplifting Christian films use a special trick to generate more income: Those who go to the cinema for the film are asked to buy extra cinema tickets via a website (as a kind of donation). At the end of the film, protagonist Jim Caviezel even personally addresses the audience, who can then take action with a QR code. People who cannot afford to go to the cinema should take advantage of these tickets later on. If the tickets are not used, the money will flow, among other things, to future productions of the studio.
According to Angel Studios itself, almost $2.7 million of the $14.2 million came from these extra tickets purchased for possible later moviegoing, so not claimed at all on the number 1 day, July 4th. While traditional studios book cinema ticket revenue for the day the ticket is redeemed i.e. the cinema trip takes place, Angel Studios counts these unusual tickets on the start day and has artificially inflated the revenue for this.
In addition, a large number of cards were sold in large packages. Churches, in particular, are said to have bought dozens of tickets for July 4 performances and then distributed them in their communities. It is impossible to verify whether people then always used the cinema tickets that were available to them. Marketing campaigns also asked the target group to buy as many tickets as possible before the opening day – even if they were not all used then. Incidentally, the marketing campaign itself was also financed through crowdfunding.
It is therefore doubtful that there were really as many people in the cinema as the impressive starting income shows. Nevertheless, the cinemas were well stocked and the returns for the action thriller, which costs around 15 million euros, are impressive. The business model behind it is causing a stir, even though it certainly won’t be adopted by the traditional Hollywood studios. Angel Studios is also able to go down this unusual path because the studio has over 100,000 small investors behind it – many of them probably in influential positions on church boards etc., where they could raise the publicity to sell the ticket packages in question .
The controversial action thriller ‘Sound Of Freedom’ explained
“Sound Of Freedom” was filmed in 2018 and was to be published by Fox, but fell through after Disney took over. Thus the project, described as “a true story”, ended up at Angel Studios. The focus is on Tim Ballard, played by Jim Caviezel (“Person Of Interest”), who is frustrated when he quits his job as a special agent with the US immigration and security authorities during a mission in Colombia because he believes there is not enough against the kidnapping of children. by pedophiles, traffickers and drug cartels. Alone, he continues the mission to save the children.
“Sound Of Freedom” has been criticized for many reasons. It is doubtful whether the story is true, rather Ballard is accused of fabricating his involvement in the operation portrayed. There’s no evidence, just Ballard’s stories. In addition, the organization against sex trafficking of children, which Ballard founded in the aftermath of the events, has been repeatedly criticized. Whether she actually helps authorities solve crimes or even hinders them in individual cases is widely debated.
Above all, however, one is very close to Qanon conspiracy storiesthat wealthy elites kidnap children – not just for sex, but to drink their blood. Ballard never distanced himself from it. In “Sound Of Freedom” the conspiracy stories do not play an explicit role, but lead actor Jim Caviezel fed them several times as part of the film’s promotion.
That hasn’t stopped another Hollywood great from backing the film. Mel Gibson, who once directed Jim Caviezel in The Passion of the Christ, has also publicly praised Sound Of Freedom. Incidentally, Gibson himself is working on a four-part documentary about Ballard. When it should appear is also not known as a possible German start date of “Sound Of Freedom”.