Skip to main content
Artist News

‘I Can Only Imagine’ Movie Soars High on Opening Weekend

By March 19, 2018No Comments

(Photo: Erwin Brothers Entertainment)
– credit The Christian Post
The faith-based film “I Can Only Imagine” brought in $17.1 million at the domestic box office during its opening weekend, going far beyond early expectations and ranking third, behind “Tomb Raider” and “Black Panther.”

Based on the true-story of Christian artist Bart Millard’s life, the family drama opened at 1,629 locations in the United States and received an A+ CinemaScore with an audience that was 67 percent female and 80 percent over 35.

This is the distributor Roadside Attractions’ highest grossing opening ever. “We felt that the film’s inspiring story of hope and forgiveness made for a very compelling collaboration,” Roadside’s co-president, Howard Cohen, said in a statement.

The weekend estimates include $6.2 million for Friday; $5.9 million on Saturday; and a projected $4.8 million for Monday. “I Can Only Imagine” has become the top faith-based movie of 2018.

About a decade ago, MercyMe’s crossover hit song, “I Can Only Imagine,” sold over 2 million digital downloads and was certified almost 3x platinum. Now, Millard’s life story showcased in the Erwin Brothers movie is hitting a high note.

Nearly eight years ago, Millard was approached about making a movie of his story after he shared his testimony during a concert. “It’s the most random, surreal thing that happened,” Millard recently told The Christian Post of having his life made into a film. “We thought they were crazy, but we were like, ‘OK, whatever.'”

His story illustrates that “nobody is ever too far from God’s love — or too far from an eternal home in Heaven,” according to the movie’s summary. 

Andrew Erwin, co-director and co-editor, said, “God’s hand has been on this song and on this story from the beginning. We are delighted to see a story about forgiveness and redemption connect with so many people. We are humbled for the privilege of telling Bart’s story.”

Jon Erwin, co-director and co-screenwriter, added, “We are amazed and humbled to see the response to this story. We set out to honor Bart Millard’s journey and the band’s amazing, life-changing song. It’s our privilege to watch this film engage in such a powerful way with the audience.”

Leave a Reply