Biblical films have long been etched into the foundation of cinema, stretching back to grand spectacles like The Ten Commandments and Ben-Hur, which once reigned supreme at the Oscars, snagging eleven wins and tying with titans like Titanic and The Return of the King.
But those massive religious epics have been less frequent in recent decades and have been replaced by a more diverse range, with the likes of Aronofsky’s flood-soaked Noah to the eerie intensity of The Passion of the Christ, and even lighthearted entries like The Star and the musical tones of Journey to Bethlehem.
A New Messiah on the Big Screen
Yet, here comes The King of Kings, a 2025 animated film breathing new life into the genre with a blend of tradition and innovation. The movie, directed and written by Seong-ho Jang, adapts Charles Dickens’ The Life of Our Lord, with Kenneth Branagh stepping into Dickens’ shoes, narrating the story of Jesus (Oscar Isaac) to his son Walter, played by Roman Griffin Davis. This film didn’t just quietly slip into theaters. It stormed in, debuting with $19.4 million and dethroning The Prince of Egypt for the highest-grossing opening weekend in the history of biblical animated movies.
And now, in its second weekend, it’s done something even more impressive. With a projected haul of $17.5 million across 3,535 theaters, it’s posting a jaw-droppingly tiny -9% drop from its opening (Via ScreenRant). That’s a level of box office consistency few movies manage. It beats out Meet the Fockers’ -9.5% to become the 35th smallest week-two drop ever for a wide release in 3,000+ theaters. That puts it in elite company, rubbing shoulders with enduring crowd-pleasers like Crazy Rich Asians (-6.4%), Avatar (-1.8%), and the astonishing leggy performance of The Greatest Showman, which famously grew +76.3% in its second frame.
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5 ✝️
Of course, the Easter weekend timing surely gave it an extra boost. A film centered around Jesus Christ, released during the holiest period for Christians, was always going to find a receptive audience. But that alone doesn’t explain this kind of staying power. If The King of Kings keeps gliding down the box office charts with this kind of grace, week three may be the real revelation. For now, it stands as a modern marvel in the biblical film canon, a proof that faith-based cinema can still draw crowds when crafted with care and a touch of inspired storytelling.
Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.
