How exactly did this happen? “Sound of Freedom” crossing the $100 million mark at the domestic box-office is some kind of achievement. It’s the highest earning independently-financed film of the year, by a long shot.
It’s made more money than Oscar contenders “Tar,” “The Fabelmans,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Women Talking” “Til,” and “Triangle of Sadness” combined.
“Sound of Freedom” is set to make another $22-25 million this weekend. A domestic total of $200 million isn’t entirely out of the realm of possibilities, especially with the legs that it’s showing. When all is said and done, will it manage to outgross “The Flash” and “Elemental”?
Obviously, there’s a clearcut audience for conservative filmmaking, even though I wouldn’t even qualify “Sound of Freedom” a “conservative movie.” It’s a well-made, but conventional movie, with strong moments and some unfortunate sentimentality. However, audiences love it — an A+ CinemaScore is something to brag about.
What it has done is strike a chord with conservatives and, in case you weren’t aware by the blockbuster numbers of 2004’s “Passion of the Christ,” and others, there is most definitely a large demographic composed of red-state Americans hungry for this type of “marketed” movie.
Will Hollywood take advantage of this Trump-voting audience? I highly doubt that, but the potential is and has always been there. The people who boycott Target, Bud Light and NPR are the same ones buying a ticket to “Sound of Freedom.” It’s a simple as that.
It’s also crossed political lines. I’ve spoken to more than a few self-proclaimed liberals who went to see this movie and, know what? They all loved it.
There are also plenty who will refuse to watch it because its star, Jim Caviezel, is supposed to be some kind of QAnon shaman, or something like that, but what the hell do I know about that topic. I haven’t researched it enough.
What I did read was something to the effect of him saying that a “storm is coming,” and that’s supposed to be a QAnon thing, or so I’m told. What I do know is that, based on the interviews that I’ve seen, Caviezel is a very religious man and that’s struck a chord with his base. He’s now become a Tom Cruise like figure on the right. Go figure. Welcome to 2023.
His reasoning is simple: Cregger sees himself first and foremost as a writer, and he has little interest in shaping stories around the predetermined “data points” that come with established IP.