Angel Studios announced Sunday that its new animated musical, David, is projected to earn an estimated $22 million at the domestic box office in its opening weekend, marking the largest theatrical debut in the company’s history.
The opening is expected to make David the highest-grossing faith-based animated theatrical opening of all time, surpassing Angel’s own The King of Kings as well as DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt. The film opened in 3,118 theaters nationwide, signaling strong exhibitor confidence heading into the Christmas season.
With David and The King of Kings, Angel Studios has now released two of the top 10 highest-grossing animated domestic theatrical films of 2025, according to company estimates. The King of Kings has earned approximately $61 million domestically.
Angel said David also achieved the best three-day opening weekend in company history, topping the $19.6 million debut of Sound of Freedom.
Audience response has been notably strong. The film earned an A CinemaScore and holds a 98% Rotten Tomatoes audience score, indicating broad approval among family audiences. International rollouts are scheduled to begin this week in more than 42 global markets.
“Families are searching for values-driven films that honor hope, and our Angel Guild members embraced David from the very beginning,” said Brandon Purdie, Angel’s head of theatrical, in a statement. He added that the company expects an extended theatrical run, with the film continuing through the Christmas season.
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Earlier this year, Angel Studios announced it had acquired the David franchise and intellectual property in partnership with 2521 Entertainment. The acquisition includes both the animated feature film and an accompanying five-part animated television series, positioning the property as a long-term asset for the studio.
“King David—one of the greatest stories ever told—is powerfully reimagined for the big screen with this epic family musical,” said David L. Hunt, co-founder and chief creative and content officer of 2521 Entertainment. “Kids will grow up fondly remembering how their parents took them to the theater to experience this film.”
The film features original music from multi-platinum Christian artist Phil Wickham and retells the biblical account of David’s rise from shepherd to king, focusing on themes of faith, courage, loyalty, and purpose, culminating in his confrontation with the giant Goliath.
The success of David also raises a broader question for the entertainment industry: whether audiences are signaling a growing appetite for faith-based, values-driven storytelling over the increasingly explicit and morally hollow content that has dominated much of Hollywood’s recent output.
With strong box office numbers, overwhelming audience approval, and international expansion already underway, David may point to a shifting landscape—one where studios are rewarded for stories that uplift families rather than test their limits.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
