Fresh off the successful opening weekend of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” Lionsgate has renewed its first-look deal with the inspirational family comedy’s producers, Kingdom Story Company, through 2027.
In addition, Kingdom Story’s president/COO Brandon Gregory has been named as a partner at the production outlet.
“Over the past decade, Kingdom films have established a unique ability to connect with their audiences in the faith community and beyond through high quality storytelling and exceptional productions, like their holiday hit ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,’” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson. “We’re proud to continue to collaborate with Kevin, Andy, Brandon and the entire team and thrilled that we are their creative home.”
Kingdom Story Company was founded in 2019 by filmmakers Jon and Andrew Erwin with the profits from their hit Christian biopic “I Can Only Imagine,” which grossed $83 million domestically against a $7 million budget.
Established with CEO Kevin Downes, Kingdom has become a pillar of Lionsgate’s theatrical release slate, building an audience with its low-budget mix of Christian films and broader inspirational films. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” opened this weekend to $11.1 million at the domestic box office and is set to break a streak of theatrical duds for Lionsgate that lasted through August and September.
“2024 has been Kingdom Story Company’s biggest year ever with a slate of three films. I couldn’t be more proud of the incredible team of people who made it possible — from the filmmakers and cast to our executive team, marketing team and especially our partners at Lionsgate, who have always championed our films and the audience they serve,” Downes said. “Our goal is to share stories that ignite a rush of hope and we are proud that each of our films this year has not only entertained, but also sparked conversations about faith and resilience when needed more than ever.”
“The power of redemptive storytelling continues to find its voice. At Kingdom Story Company, we are honored to be a part of expanding the quality of films for the faith audience that we love. Seeing that growth extend into the mainstream is a dream come true,” Andrew Erwin added.
With “Pageant” aiming for long legs as a Christmas offering for families, Lionsgate and Kingdom are next preparing to release “The Unbreakable Boy,” a true story inspirational film starring Jacob Laval as Austin LeRette, an autistic boy with brittle bone disease. Zachary Levi also stars as the boy’s father, Scott, who wrote the book about Austin’s life upon which the film is based. It is set for release on Feb. 21, 2025.
