The document discusses how Hollywood studios are producing more big-budget films with Christian themes in 2014, recognizing their financial potential at the box office. This follows the success of films like The Passion of the Christ and the TV miniseries The Bible. Some of the upcoming major films mentioned are Noah, Heaven is for Real, Exodus, and Left Behind. Christian retail stores are encouraged to promote these films, hold advance screenings, and provide related study guides and resources to customers to make the most of this movie trend.

1. Films with Christian themes can help grow retail bottom line.
By Lora Schrock
Hollywood Delivers at
‘Biblical Proportions’
movies with strong
Christian worldviews
averaged $73.27 mil-
lion at the box office,
but those with very
strong nonChristian
worldviews only aver-
aged $21.1 million.
Theater owners,
who would rather sell
tickets to a family of
four than one ticket to
an individual, also are
making their voices
heard. At last year’s
CinemaCom, John Fithian, president of the
National Association of Theatre Owners,
called on Hollywood to produce more family-
friendly films.
“If exhibitors could make one recom-
mendation to our studio partners,” he said,
“it would be to make more family titles and
fewer R-rated movies.”
The bottom line is speaking, and Holly-
wood is listening.
“Considering the unprecedented opening
weekend triumph of nearly $125.2 million for
The Passion of The Christ in 2004, the name of
its distributor, Newmarket Films, became al-
most prophetic,” says Larry Ross, president of
A. Larry Ross Communications. “Hollywood
realized that the church, and the nearly 250
million Americans who consider themselves
Christian, represent a previously unseen or
unrecognized ‘new market.’”
As Phil Cooke, cofounder of Cooke Pic-
tures and an adjunct professor at The King’s
University in Los Angeles, puts it, Hollywood
is all about business.
“They’re not in the habit of making mov-
ies nobody wants to see. They obviously see
the box-office potential of this trend,” he says.
“Hollywood has finally realized the size of the
Christian audience.”
New Opportunities
Ted Baehr, founder and publisher of Mov-
ieguide and chairman of the Christian Film
& Television Commission, says 2014 will be
a big year for major movies with Christian
themes.
“Christian films come in waves. Each film
caters to a different audience and looks at the
Gospel from a different point of view,” he says.
Filmmakers big and small are seeing the
upside of creating Bible-based movies.
“Beyond the considerable audience poten-
tial, which Hollywood has been taking seri-
ously, biblically based films represent good
business,” says Ross. “Because the Bible is in
the public domain, there are no copyrights or
licensing fees.”
Although some new releases may be based
on the Bible, that doesn’t mean they neces-
sarily stick to Scripture. Several online blogs
This year is shaping up to be one
of the biggest for biblical epics
since Ben-Hur and The Ten Com-
mandments. Hollywood hasn’t
been born again—it’s paying at-
tention to audience demand and
box office dollars.
Taking its cue from last spring’s surprising
hit miniseries The Bible, which set cable audi-
ence viewing records and became the biggest-
selling miniseries on DVD in its first week
of release, studios are releasing such films as
Noah, Heaven Is for Real, and Exodus.
Christian retail stores can play a promi-
nent role in not only selling these films but
promoting them and becoming part of the
movie experience.
Power in Numbers
The majority of Americans are hungry
for high-quality productions, says former
presidential candidate Rick Santorum, CEO
of EchoLight Studios. “Everyone appreciates
redemptive stories that encourage us to focus
on something larger than ourselves.”
This demand is being reflected in box office
sales. According to a ten-year study conducted
by Movieguide®, of all the big films released by
Hollywood and major independent studios,
03.14 | CBA Retailers+Resources 21The Official Magazine of CBA
Culture Trend + +
continued on page 24
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2. Culture Trend + +
report Noah portrays the title character as the
first environmentalist. Baehr cautions retail-
ers that what they read ahead of time about a
movie’s content isn’t necessarily what will end
up in the finished product.
He suggests retailers research the movies,
then see them when they come out. “You need
to be careful of what you support—your repu-
tation is on the line.”
Cooke is excited about the evangelistic oppor-
tunitiesfilmswithChristianthemesrepresent.
“For years, Christians were critical of Hol-
lywood because they didn’t make movies for
Christians. Now they are, and Christians are
being critical because the studios might screw
up the stories,” says Cooke. “When Mark
Burnett’s The Bible broke audience records, I
was in a church staff meeting where one per-
son grumbled that she didn’t like the show
because she didn’t think David would have
looked like that.
“Millions of people are watching a TV se-
ries on the Bible,” he continues. “Millions of
people are talking about the Bible around
the office water cooler. Millions of people
can now engage coworkers and friends about
their faith. Obviously many of these films
won’t be completely accurate. But even if you
don’t like something about these movies or
TV programs, use that to start conversations
with your nonbelieving friends about the real
truth.”
Lights! Camera! Sales!
Christian retail stores can get in on the act to
be part of the movie experience.
“Store owners and managers can take a
leadership role in getting involved in pre-
screenings and informing their customers of
coming ministry opportunities in their com-
munities,” says Ross.
Another way to deepen the movie experi-
ence is to suggest products to customers that
will help them talk to seekers.
Ross suggests “Christian retailers can pro-
vide resources for quality films to enable their
constituency to have a spiritual conversation
in the marketplace or use a theatrical or DVD
release as a ministry opportunity.”
Beacon of Hope (Springfield, OH) lets their
customers know about new releases via social
media and plans to promote Christian movies.
“An area we are trying to open up is hav-
ing an advanced screening of newly released
movies. People love being able to see things
before release,” says Store Manager Aaron
Kastein.
“Many Christian films or films with theo-
logical themes will have a study guide made
available for churches or small groups that
might want to have discussions or Bible stud-
ies,” says Ross. “Christian retailers could be a
part of the delivery system for these materials
for those not able to download and print the
materials for themselves.”
Kaspian says Beacon of Hope is exploring
the store-church connection.
“We’re constantly mingling with churches
around our area and helping them promote
things going on,” he says. “Providing a place
for churches to post signs and banners of up-
coming films is always an opportunity.”
Another way to increase sales is to connect
with media outlets
in your community.
“Stores can also
partner with lo-
cal Christian radio
stations or the pro-
ducer or distribu-
tor to host advance
screenings or dis-
play point-of-pur-
chase promotional
materials in their stores,” says Ross.
To support good Christian films in the fu-
ture, Santorum suggests consistent price par-
ity with nonChristian retailers.
“It will provide support and make Chris-
tian retailers more competitive,” he says.
“Polling the church and identifying trends in
felt needs within the church that can be ad-
dressed by films is another critical support.”
Cooke doesn’t see this trend in movie mak-
ing slowing down any time soon. “The Bible
is still the best selling book of all time. There
are powerful, compelling, and epic stories
throughout the Bible, and so many of them
can be translated into fantastic movies.” R+R
The Official Magazine of CBA24 CBA Retailers+Resources | 03.14
In honor of its 35th anniversary, the JESUS film—
the most-watched film in history—has been
remastered frame-by-frame in high-definition for
theatrical release in select markets as The JESUS
Film in March. With a new musical score in Dolby
5.1 surround sound, the movie will be available on
Blu-ray, DVD, and digital format nationwide April 1.
The JESUS Film
continued from page 21
Ten years after the release of ThePassion
oftheChrist, which grossed $622.9 million
worldwide, Hollywood studios are gearing
up in 2014 with big-budget films that have
Christian themes.
• Twentieth Century Fox released Sonof
God on February 28, which was produced
by Mark Burnett (Survivor) and Roma
Downey (TouchedbyanAngel).The duo
also produced last year’s widely ac-
claimed miniseries TheBible for the
History channel.
• Paramount’s Noah starring Russell Crowe
and EmmaWatson releases March 28.
• In April,TriStar Pictures presents Heaven
IsforReal based onTodd Burpo’s same-
titled book (Nelson).
• Samuel Goldwyn Films is remaking Left
Behind starring Oscar-winner Nicholas
Cage. Jerry Jenkins andTim LaHaye’s
bestselling novel (Tyndale) was first
made into a movie in 2000.
• Twentieth Century Fox is developing
Exodus starring Christian Bale with Sir Rid-
ley Scott at the helm. A December 2014
release is scheduled.
• Warner Bros. has a Moses-themed film
in the works titled GodsandKings. Acad-
emy Award winner Ang Lee is reportedly
directing.The studio also is developing a
movie on Pontius Pilate.
• Sony is producingWill Smith’s TheRe-
demptionofCain.
• Lionsgate is developing MaryMotherof
Christ starring Odeya Rush and Oscar-
winner Ben Kingsley.
• LD Entertainment is backing Resurrec-
tion, a drama set immediately after Jesus’
death. A 2015 release is planned.
Coming Attractions
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