The Buzz: Movie Business & Indie Film Updates

The King of Kings Sets Faith-Based Animation Record

Angel Studios’ The King of Kings, an animated retelling of Jesus’ story by Charles Dickens to his son, grossed $19 million on 3,200 screens, marking the highest debut for a faith-based animated film, surpassing The Prince of Egypt’s 1998 record. Its A+ CinemaScore reflects strong audience reception.

The Chosen Franchise Dominates Box Office

Fathom Entertainment’s The Chosen: Last Supper (Season 5) Part 3 earned $6 million on 2,296 screens, while Part 2 added $932,000, reaching a $11.4 million total gross to date. Both landed in the indie top ten, highlighting the growing demand for biblical narratives in theaters.

Karate Kid: Legends Anticipation Builds

Set for release on May 30, Karate Kid: Legends, starring Jackie Chan, Ben Wang, and Ralph Macchio, is generating buzz as a major martial arts film. While not yet in theaters, its upcoming debut is a hot topic, especially for action/martial arts fans.

Friendship Expands Successfully

A24’s Friendship expanded to top ten markets, grossing $350,000 across 50 locations, bringing its domestic total gross to date to $801,000. Its success in cities like Detroit underscores its appeal, building on its record-setting limited release.

Indie Films Thrive with The Teacher and More

Watermelon Pictures’ The Teacher debuted with $20,000 on one screen at the Angelika in NYC, with sold-out screenings and strong pre-sales. Caught By The Tides added $25,000 on 5 screens, reaching a $58,800 total gross to date, showing the indie market’s vitality.

"The voice of the movie customer" refers to audience sentiment, preferences, and feedback, which we can infer from box office trends, social media sentiment (e.g., X posts), and reported audience reception (e.g., CinemaScore). Based on these signals, here's an AI-powered predictive analysis on which genres might sell more in the upcoming week (May 19-25, 2025).

Box Office Trends:

• Non-Indie Trends:
  • Action/Thriller: Leads with 4 non-indie and 1 indie entry, showing strong audience demand for high-stakes action.
  • Faith-Based: Non-indie films (The King of Kings, The Chosen) exhibit significant demand, reflecting a values-driven audience.
  • Horror/Thriller: Remains consistent in non-indie films, maintaining steady appeal for thrill-seekers.
  • Family-Oriented: Films like A Minecraft Movie continue to draw family audiences, a key demographic in May.
• Indie Trends:
  • Drama and Comedy/Drama: Dominate with 3 entries each, reflecting a preference for character-driven stories among indie viewers.
  • Documentary: Holds a niche but consistent appeal, catering to audiences seeking authentic narratives.
• Emerging Trends:
  • Action/Martial Arts: Gaining momentum with the upcoming release of Karate Kid: Legends on May 30, boosting interest in the genre.

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Why Faith-Based Films Are Resonating:

• Spiritual and Emotional Resonance: Films like The King of Kings and The Chosen connect through their Christian narratives, offering comfort and inspiration.
• Targeted Marketing:
  • Angel Studios leverages its 1-million-member Angel Guild to engage viewers for The King of Kings.
  • The Chosen benefits from a dedicated fanbase built through its serialized format.
• Production Quality and Relatability: High production quality and relatable storytelling, such as family-oriented themes in The King of Kings, make them competitive with mainstream releases.

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Audience Reception:

• The King of Kings: A+ CinemaScore, reflecting strong audience approval for faith-based animation.
• Thunderbolts: 88% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating critical and audience approval for action/superhero films.

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Social Media Sentiment (Across Platforms):

• Action/Martial Arts: People are really excited for Karate Kid: Legends (releasing May 30) on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where fans are sharing challenge videos and fan art, saying things like "This looks so cool!" and "Can’t wait for this comeback!" On YouTube and Reddit, most reactions are positive, with comments like "The nostalgia is real!" but some fans are a bit worried, saying "Hope it’s not another reboot flop." Overall, about 75–80% of the buzz is positive, showing a big appetite for action and martial arts movies.
• Faith-Based Content: The Chosen is getting a lot of love across platforms. On Instagram and TikTok, fans are sharing clips and saying, "This show makes me cry every time," and "Such a blessing to watch!" Facebook groups and Reddit posts are full of praise, with comments like "This season is the best yet!" and "It’s helped me through tough times." On X, people are saying, "The Chosen continues to inspire!" About 90–95% of the reactions are positive, showing a deeply engaged audience who loves the emotional and spiritual depth.
• Action/Thriller: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (releasing May 23) is creating a big buzz, especially for Tom Cruise’s stunts. On TikTok and YouTube, fans are saying, "Tom Cruise is a legend!" and "This looks insane!" Instagram posts highlight the biplane scene, with comments like "Can’t wait for May 23!" However, some people on Reddit and X are a bit concerned about the story, saying, "Heard the plot’s messy," reflecting mixed reviews. About 75–80% of the buzz is positive, but 20–25% are unsure about the plot.
• Family-Oriented: On TikTok and Instagram, parents are excited for Lilo & Stitch (releasing May 23), saying, "Perfect for my kids!" About 80% of the reactions are positive, though some wonder if the live-action remake will be good, making up the other 20%.

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Historical Trends:

• Indie Horror:
  • Data from 2022 shows a 30% increase in indie horror views on Tubi, indicating a strong yet underserved audience.
  • Remains underrepresented in this week’s top ten, with only The Shadows Beneath at $8,750.
• Non-Indie Trends:
  • Action/Thriller and Family-Oriented: Historically dominate, earning $15–50 million in non-summer weekends.
  • This week aligns with trends: Action/Thriller at $39.935 million, Family genres at $41.55 million.
• Indie Trends:
  • Drama and Comedy/Drama: Typically earn $20,000–$500,000 in limited releases.
  • Consistent with this week’s $536,600 combined sales.
• Faith-Based Films:
  • Historically earn $5–20 million in limited releases.
  • Outperforming this week with $35.65 million in non-indie sales, reflecting heightened demand.

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Observation:

• Alignment with Historical Trends:
  • Non-Indie: Action/Thriller and Family-oriented films remain strong, consistent with historical patterns.
  • Indie: Drama and Comedy/Drama dominate limited releases, as expected.
• Notable Deviations:
  • Faith-Based Films: Outperforming historical averages in non-indie, likely due to targeted marketing and high audience resonance.
  • Indie Horror: Underrepresented despite historical streaming demand (e.g., 30% increase on Tubi in 2022), suggesting a market gap for indie filmmakers.

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Predictive Analysis

• Overview: For May 19-25, 2025, trends are based on box office performance, audience sentiment, social media buzz, and upcoming releases:
• Non-Indie Market:
  • Action/Thriller:
    • Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (releasing May 23): Projected at $65–90 million, including its Memorial Day weekend opening.
    • Total genre sales: $82.474–$107.474 million, including Thunderbolts at $15 million (down from $16.875 million due to competition) and others at $2.474 million.
  • Faith-Based: $20.58 million, with The King of Kings ($16.53 million) and The Chosen ($4.05 million) maintaining audience loyalty despite IMAX competition.
  • Horror/Thriller: $10 million, with Sinners at $9.75 million and Clown In A Cornfield at $1.56 million, adjusted for competition.
  • Family-Oriented (excluding faith-based):
    • A Minecraft Movie: $7.7 million.
    • Lilo & Stitch (releasing May 23): Projected at $10–15 million.
    • Total: $17.7–$22.7 million.
  • Total Non-Indie Top 10: $142.054–$171.054 million, driven by new releases.
• Indie Market:
  • Comedy/Drama and Drama: $449,550, with Friendship at $400,000 (down from $437,500 due to blockbuster competition) and others at $49,550.
  • Documentary: $20,940, reflecting a standard drop.
  • Action/Martial Arts: Echo 8 at $12,000, benefiting from action genre buzz.
  • Horror/Thriller: The Shadows Beneath at $4,375; a new indie horror release could earns $50,000.
  • Total Indie Top 10: $486,865–$536,865, slightly down due to competition.
• Market Insights:
  • Dominance of Mission: Impossible: Expected to capture 50–60% of non-indie sales with its Memorial Day opening and IMAX run, though mixed reviews may temper long-term growth.
  • Family Alternative: Lilo & Stitch offers a family option but won’t challenge Mission: Impossible’s dominance.
  • Faith-Based Strength: Emerging as a significant force in non-indie, surpassing historical averages, driven by cultural demand for uplifting content.
  • Indie Horror Opportunity: Historical streaming demand suggests a new release could capture $50,000 in limited markets.
  • Action Genre Surge: Poised for growth post-May 30 with Karate Kid: Legends, but Mission: Impossible sets the tone for May 19-25 with strong initial anticipation.