On track for third place this weekend is “Sound of Freedom,” a thriller about child trafficking with somewhat dubious “based on a true story” credentials, which stars Jam Caviezel in the lead role. Production company Angel Studios has previously found box office success via special event screenings of faith-based TV show “The Chosen,” which had pulled in $35 million in ticket sales as of May 2023. Earlier in the week Newsweek reported that “Sound of Freedom” had pulled off an “incredible coup” by taking the No. 1 spot from “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” on July 4.
Did this indie movie really beat an Indy movie? Well, sort of … but not really. Angel Studios’ claim to the Tuesday top spot was dependent on including “ticket sales” from the studio’s patent-pending Pay It Forward crowdfunding platform. Angel Studios reported total opening day numbers of $14.2 million, with the caveat that $2.6 million of that figure comes from Pay It Forward contributions. The idea is that the money all goes into a pot from which people can request free tickets to see the movie, but it’s unclear how many tickets have been given away so far.
In terms of direct box office, the movie grossed $11.563 million on its opening day, though Deadline reports that this may include ticket sales from Monday previews. Either way, it falls short of the $11.698 million grossed by “Dial of Destiny” on Tuesday, so Angel Studios’ claim to the Independence Day No. 1 spot is questionable. Nonetheless, The Hollywood Reporter estimates that “Sound of Freedom” will gross another $15 million over the weekend, and with a $14.5 million budget, it’s sure to turn a profit by the end of its run.