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Andy Serkis, Sir Ben Kingsley and Joel David Smallbone have joined the cast of Young Washington.The trio have joined the presidential origin story that is being developed by Wonder Project and Angel Studios.The movie - which is being directed by Wonder Project's Jon Erwin - stars the previously announced William Franklyn-Miller as a young George Washington and chronicles the beginnings of the first American president.After he makes a tremendous mistake that triggers the French and Indian War, the ambitious 22-year-old Washington must face up to his failures and find the courage to become a leader who will forge a nation.Kingsley will play Robert Dinwiddie, the strong-willed Virginia Governor who entrusts Washington with his first command, with Serkis starring as General Edward Braddock – an overconfident British officer who gives the defeated Washington another shot at military glory.Smallbone portrays William Fairfax, a cunning friend and romantic rival...

By a show of hands in the comments section, who remembers the 1988 comedy Young Einstein, starring Yahoo Serious? If you’re nodding your head, give yourself a gold star, and prepare for another film focusing on an influential figure with the word “Young” in the title. According to Deadline, Ben Kingsley, Andy Serkis, and Joel David Smallbone are joining the cast of Young Washington, a presidential biopic focusing on George Washington, America’s first president.

The Young Washington biopic is from Wonder Project and Angel Studios. Jon Erwin is directing it. William Franklyn-Miller plays a young George Washington for the epic origin story, chronicling the political figure’s rise to power. “After making a tremendous mistake that triggers the French and Indian War, an ambitious 22-year-old Washington must face his failures and find the courage to become the leader that will forge a nation,” says Deadline’s description of the film.

Exclusive: Oscar winner Ben Kingsley (The Thursday Murder Club), BAFTA winner Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum) and Grammy winner Joel David Smallbone (Unsung Hero) are new additions to the cast of Young Washington, a recently announced presidential origin story from Wonder Project and Angel Studios.

Directed by Wonder Project’s Jon Erwin, the film stars the previously announced William Franklyn-Miller as a young George Washington, chronicling the beginnings of America’s first president. After making a tremendous mistake that triggers the French and Indian War, an ambitious 22-year-old Washington must face his failures and find the courage to become the leader that will forge a nation.

Kingsley will play Robert Dinwiddie, the strong-willed Governor of Virginia who entrusts the young Washington with his first command. Serkis plays General Edward Braddock, an overconfident British officer who gives the defeated Washington another chance at military glory.

Nominees for the 32nd Annual Movieguide Awards have been announced, with shows like Bluey, NCIS, Blue Bloods and Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV competing for the honor.

The Faith & Values Awards Gala & Report to the Entertainment Industry will be held Friday, February 7 at the Avalon Theatre in Hollywood. They come courtesy of Movieguide, a family review service for movies and television shows that has more than 89 million monthly users.

“There has been so much devastation to our city, we feel there is no better time to come together for strength and hope,” said Movieguide CEO Robby Baehr in a statement. “We want to celebrate those who bring joy and entertainment to the big screen and provide a space where families come together to escape from the world around them. We also want to honor the First Responders who risked their lives to save Los Angeles. We...

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

Some of Nashville’s top songwriters are headed to Hawaii this month for the tenth edition of the Maui Songwriters Festival.

Get Tickets: Maui Songwriters Festival

Lee Brice, Chris DeStefano and Joel Smallbone of For King & Country are among the talent scheduled to appear at this year’s event, which takes place from January 15 to 18 at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua. Produced in collaboration with Sony Music Publishing Nashville and Renate Event & Design,...

In its biggest year and fresh off last weekend’s release of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, faith-based content creator Kingdom Story Company has renewed its three-year first-look deal with Lionsgsate.

The partners collaborated on three films this year, including Ordinary Angels starring Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson, which earned $19.2m in North America, and biopic Unsung Hero about multi-Grammy winner Joel Smallbone, on $20.3m.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever opened on November 8 and had grossed $11.1m at time of writing, rising to $12.4m over the four-day Veterans Day weekend.

Additionally, Kingdom Story Company said it has promoted president and COO Brandon Gregory to partner.

Lionsgate and the Erwin brothers’ faith-based Kingdom Story Company — which successfully released The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at the box office last weekend — announced Tuesday they are renewing their first-look deal for another three years. That will put them in business together for a full decade.

The pact was announced by Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson and Kingdom Story Company CEO Kevin Downes, who co-founded the company in 2019 alongside Jon and Andrew Erwin.

In a twinned move, Downes revealed that the company has promoted Kingdom Story president and COO Brandon Gregory to partner.

“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,” Fogelson said in a statement.

Added Downes, “2024 has been Kingdom Story Company’s biggest year ever with a slate of three films.

Lionsgate has renewed a three-year, first-look deal with Kingdom Story Company.

The announcement extends the partnership to 10 years and follows the theatrical release of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” which opened to $11 million over the weekend. Already this year, Lionsgate and Kingdom have collaborated on the faith-based “Ordinary Angels” starring Hilary Swank and musical biopic “Unsung Hero” about Grammy winner Joel Smallbone. “Ordinary Angels” earned $20 million at the global box office while “Unsung Hero” generated $21 million worldwide. All three 2024 releases will be profitable for the studio, according to Lionsgate.

“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,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson.

Kevin Downes, co-founder and chief executive officer of Kingdom Story Company, added, “2024 has been Kingdom Story Company’s biggest year ever with a slate of three films.

Fresh off success with their holiday family comedy The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Lionsgate and the faith-based Kingdom Story Company have agreed to renew their three-year first-look deal, extending the studios’ total collaboration to 10 years.

The deal puts a capstone on Kingdom Story Company’s biggest slate yet, which comprised three films with Lionsgate in 2024: Ordinary Angels, starring Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson; Unsung Hero, from Grammy-winning faith-based artist Joel Smallbone; and the aforementioned Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which exceeded tracking by opening with $11.1 million at the domestic box office this past weekend ($12.2 M/4-day) and is positioned to continue playing through the holiday period.

Dallas Jenkins (of The Chosen fame) directed the latter film, starring Judy Greer and Pete Holmes, which adapts the children’s book by Barbara Robinson. Each of the Kingdom-developed and produced films released this year is expected to turn a profit for the studio.

Four-time Grammy Award-winning duo for King + Country are bringing their annual popular holiday concert A Drummer Boy Christmas to theaters nationwide for the first time in a limited engagement December 5-9 on 1,000+ screens.

The faith-based duo, brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone, announced they will then take a brief touring hiatus in 2025 to create new music and work on their next feature film project. Their last, Unsung Hero from Kingdom Story Company was released by Lionsgate in April and grossed over $20 million.

Joel Smallbone directed and starred as his father David Smallbone, who moved with his family from Australia to the U.S. after his music company collapsed. His children, for King + Country, and Rebecca St. James, became well known inspirational music acts.

For King + Country is currently on a 31-city U.S. tour titled for King + Country Live: The Unsung Hero 2024 Tour.

They launch the annual A Drummer Boy Christmas | The 2024 Tour Experience on Dec.

Based on a remarkable true story, Unsung Hero follows Helen (Daisy Betts) and her husband David Smallbone (Joel Smallbone) as they move their family from Down Under to the States with nothing more than their seven children, suitcases, and their love of music. As Helen and David set out to rebuild their lives, they begin to realize the musical prowess in their children, who would go on to become two of the most successful acts in inspirational music history: five-time Grammy-winning artists for King + Country and Rebecca St. James.

Unsung Hero is available on VOD on July 2 and Blu-ray and DVD on July 9.

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Unsung Hero, a faith based family drama directed by Joel Smallbone and Richard L. Ramsey, delves into the real-life story of the Smallbone family. This includes members of the popular Christian rock group for King and Country Joel and Luke as they navigate the challenges of emigrating from Australia to the United States. The film centres around Helen Smallbone (played by Aussie actor Daisy Betts), whose strength and unwavering support for her family proved to be vital for their continued success.

The narrative focuses on the family’s struggle to establish a new life in Nashville amidst financial difficulties and cultural adjustments. Joel Smallbone portrays his father, David Smallbone, a once successful tour manager struggling to keep his business afloat. The musician-turned-filmmaker captures the character’s journey from despair and pride to humility and hope with authenticity and conviction.

Unsung Hero’s strength lies in its portrayal of the family...

Directed by Joel Smallbone and Richard L. Ramsey, Unsung Hero is a heartwarming tale that, in this ever-changing world, tells us the kind of sacrifices our parents make for us and to what extent they are willing to go for our happiness. It tells us that you don’t need an army to conquer the world; you just need those few loved ones around you, and you can achieve whatever you want in your life. So, let’s find out what happened in the film and if the screenplay stays true to the real-life events or if the makers have taken certain creative liberties.

Spoiler Alert

Is It Based On A True Story?

Joel Smallbone, one of the members of the Kings & Country band and also the son of David and Helen, has directed the film together with Richard Ramsey, and they have mostly stayed true to the real-life facts.

Cassandra Freeman (Bel-Air), Tika Sumpter (Sonic the Hedgehog) and Michaela Watkins (Thanks for Sharing) have joined the “Geena & Friends” program taking place at the upcoming Bentonville Film Festival in Arkansas.

The program, led by Geena Davis and moderated by The Hollywood Reporter contributing editor Stacey Wilson Hunt, takes a unique spin on traditional comedic narratives by reimagining them with an all-female or gender-non-conforming cast. The event is set for June 14 at the Thaden Theater in Bentonville.

“I am thrilled to lead this program that reimagines all-male film narratives with an all-female/gender-non-conforming cast, leading to great humor,” Davis said. “It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase the power of storytelling through laughter and camaraderie. Working alongside such talented individuals as Cassandra Freeman, Tika Sumpter and Michaela Watkins is truly inspiring. I look forward to sharing this unique and transformative experience with everyone.”

The Bentonville Film Foundation made the announcement Thursday,...

Currently out in theatres, Unsung Heros is a Christian movie that follows Luke, Joel, and Rebecca Smallbone of the For King & Country band, and their story of how they became top Christian recording artists.

Joel Smallbone directs the flick, which explores themes of faith, family bounds, and resilience as the Smallbones travel from Australia to America after their music company crumbles.

Actor Jonathan Jackson plays Eddie DeGarmo in the film, and recently spoke with Hollywood Insider about how the script brought him to tears.

Jonathan Jackson – Interviewed During “Unsung Hero” Premiere

Jackson, best known for his roles on soap opera General Hospital and primetime drama Nashville was interviewed on the red carpet, during the Unsung Hero premiere.

He notes that the movie’s release is “exciting”, adding that in some ways it came quicker than he thought as everyone involved was anxiously anticipating the film’s release.

When asked about the movie,...

Now playing in theaters, here is all the available showtime information and potential streaming release date for Unsung Hero.

Unsung Hero is a faith-based drama co-directed by Richard Ramsey and Joel Smallbone, released on April 26 through Lionsgate distribution.

It follows the base on true events journey of Rebecca, Joel, and Luke Smallbone, members of For King & Country, as they pursue their path to becoming Christian recording artists. 

Read full article on The Direct.

Follow your dreams, they say. But what if you have two dreams? Acting and singing, perhaps? Unsung Hero stars Joel Smallbone aka one-half of Christian pop duo for King & Country as his real-life dad David Smallbone. Joel proves here he can both lead a musical group and a feature film, as does another young performer in Unsung Hero. Australian-American Kirrilee Berger plays young Rebecca Smallbone, who would go on to become Grammy-winning artist Rebecca St. James, and Berger's performance here proves she is effectively following both her passions of acting and singing indeed.

Also along for the ride is Chicago Fire star Daisy Betts, playing the Smallbone family matriarch Helen. We recently caught up with Betts and Berger in a paired interview to learn more about their unique experience shooting Lionsgate's impactful new feature about the power of faith, family, and love.

Unsung Hero 'Is the Project That...

April came to a close with a number of smaller releases, ahead of the start of the summer movie season launching in May, though one movie definitely stood out ahead of the others. Read on for the weekend box office report.

Luca Guadagnino‘s tennis romance, “Challengers,” starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, opened in 3,477 theaters on Friday with solid reviews, racking up $1.9 million in previews from Thursday and earlier. After pulling in $6.2 million on Friday (including previews), “Challengers” won the weekend with ease, making an estimated $15 million, and receiving a fair “B+” CinemaScore from audiences polled, as the movie became the talk of social media all weekend. “Challengers” also added another $9 million overseas in 52 markets to bring its global total to $25 million.

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Lionsgate opened “Unsung Hero,” the inspirational story of the Smallbone musical family, co-written, co-directed, and starring Joel Smallbone,...

Zendaya's Challengers lays claim to No. 1 at the box office, serving up an estimated $15 million debut domestically; newcomer Unsung Hero settles for No. 2 with $7.8 million. Challengers also earned $10 million internationally, en route to a global premiere of $25 million, marking Luca Guadagnino's biggest opening of his career. If the estimates hold, the 45th anniversary screenings of Alien (1979) will keep Boy Kills World from cracking the Top 10.

"Come on!" Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh OConnors torrid on-screen tryst lays claim to the No. 1 spot at the weekend box office with an estimated $15 million domestically during its theatrical debut. Challengers also performed well overseas as the steamy sports romance made an additional $10 million internationally for a worldwide debut of $25 million (per The Numbers). Challengers' stellar performance also marks the biggest opening ever for filmmaker Luca Guadagnino.

Challengers was perfectly positioned, in terms of its release window, to nestle itself between March's...

Game, set, now what to make of this match?

“Challengers,” a sexy, subversive, R-rated drama set in the world of tennis, easily took first place at a sluggish domestic box office this weekend with $15 million from 3,477 locations. On one hand, it’s a respectable result for an artsy movie aimed at discerning, adult audiences, but what keeps it from being a championship performance is that “Challengers” has a hefty $55 million budget (to say nothing of its marketing costs). The Amazon MGM Studios release will need strong word-of-mouth if it’s going to keep rallying — and next week brings Universal’s “The Fall Guy,” a Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt action-comedy that marks the start of summer blockbuster season. The competition only stands to get fiercer from here.

Amazon MGM would probably argue that “Challengers” doesn’t need to be a box office phenomenon in order to be successful. The higher...

Joel Smallbone plays his real-life dad, David, in Unsung Hero, wearing his dad's jacket from 30 years ago. Smallbone's remarkable performance will floor you, along with the convincing supporting cast. A family of Aussies with Grammy winners. Unsung Hero balances faith and grounded drama, exploring the Smallbone family's struggles before achieving stardom. A heartwarming family flick.

In Unsung Hero, Joel Smallbone plays his own, real-life dad as he parents the child that would become, well, Joel. He even wears his dad's authentic jacket during the film from 30 years ago. Take that, Hollywood multiverses! Smallbone's remarkable turn as his dad, David, will simply floor you. The rest of the cast is pretty darn convincing, too.

It's a family of Australians, and if you haven't heard of the Smallbone family, maybe you've heard of either Rebecca St. James or the Christian pop duo for King & Country. Said musical artists are biologically related and both are Grammy winners,...

“Challengers” netted a $6.2 million opening day from 3,477 North American theaters, a figure that includes $1.9 million from preview screenings. Amazon MGM Studios’ love-triangle drama is set to match industry projections for a $15 million debut. The tennis film also gets extra revenue from tickets for premium large-format auditoriums, including some Imax screens.

The Zendaya starrer will easily launch above the competition to claim the top spot on domestic charts — not small potatoes for an original, R-rated drama in the age of studio IP addiction. But “Challengers” does carry a $55 million production budget, so it’ll have to keep rallying into the summer months to score a profit in theaters. Reviews have been stellar, while early ticket buyers lean positive with audience survey firm Cinema Score tallying a “B+” grade. Amazon MGM has good buzz on its side for the weeks ahead.

“Challengers” stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a tennis prodigy who turns...

Amazon MGM Studios’ Challengers, starring Zendaya and directed by Luca Guadagnino, made $1.9M in previews, a figure $100K shy of what Universal’s Cocaine Bear did. The tennis sexy romcom is hoping to open to $15M for the weekend.

Critics love Challengers at 91% certified fresh, but last night’s audiences were so-so on it with three stars on Screen Engine/Comscore’s PostTrak at 3 1/2 stars, 75% positive and a 56% definite recommend. Women over 25 at 35% came out as well as womn under 25 at 25%, but guys over 25 got pulled along as dates at 25% with men under 25 at 14%. It wasn’t Zendaya’s girl fans who liked the movie the most, but men over 25 at 80%. Overall best demo grades for Challengers came from the 25-34 bunch and 45-54 folks. Originally the movie was scheduled to go in mid-September, but got pushed to this weekend due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

If the fans of Grammy-winners Rebecca St. James and for King & Country ever find themselves wondering where it all started for these beloved musical artists, Lionsgate has a new feature film hitting the masses April 26 that breaks it all down. Unsung Hero follows the Smallbone family from their humble beginnings in Australia to certain siblings' rise to stardom in the U.S. The family patriarch, David, certainly had his work cut out for him, with no money or job to his name as he journeys with his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) and their seven kids across the globe.

And who better to play David than his own son, Joel Smallbone, aka one-half of the Christian pop duo for King & Country who also happens to be co-writer/director of Unsung Hero. It seems, then, that Smallbone also had his work cut out for him, bringing this personal story to life on the big screen.

The heartrending hook behind “Unsung Hero” isn’t solely discovering how one tight knit family birthed two chart-topping contemporary Christian musical acts, although that is an interesting draw. It’s not necessarily learning how the Aussie expats survived a slew of hardships through togetherness and fortitude. The fascinating angle it adopts is similar to the way Steven Spielberg explored a tumultuous time in his childhood with “The Fablemans,” as Joel Smallbone (who co-wrote and directed with Richard L. Ramsey) also engages with family history, portraying his father grappling with financial and personal crises. The co-directors re-contextualize character-building circumstances, crafting a soul-stirring testament to the power of family and faith in the process.

David Smallbone (Joel Smallbone) is at the top of his game in early 1991. He’s got a great support system at work as one of Australia’s top Christian artist concert promoters, luring in such performers as the heavy metal hair band Stryper.

Titans of the faith-based filmmaking industrial complex they helped to create, Kingdom Story Company founders Andrew and Jon Erwin built their brand on the Christian rock biopics “I Still Believe” and “I Can Only Imagine,” ultra-benign stories of faith, loss, and profit that rely on powerful songwriting to compensate for sermon-like storytelling, and frame their subject’s artistic success as both a testament to their faith and a megaphone for the word of Jesus Christ. Absent the rigor or artistry of secular comps like “Love & Mercy” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter” (but also absent the Wikipedia-driven ghoulishness of more recent examples like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”), these movies are happy to function as feature-length commercials for the musicians they were made to honor, just as they’re happy to offer halos to the people who inspired them.

That’s a key feature of cinematic evangelism,...

The month of April seemingly sailed by with far too many moderate releases, and the month ends this weekend with more of the same. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.

Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino returns with the sexy tennis drama “Challengers,” starring the powerhouse trio of Zendaya (“Euphoria”), Josh O’Connor (“The Crown”) and Mike Faist (“West Side Story”) as superstar tennis players who fall into a competitive love triangle. This is Zendaya’s first movie after “Dune: Part Two,” and it will be a real test for her as a box office star, since sports dramas can be hit or miss. “Challengers” really is riding on her popularity to avoid the pitfalls of the genre.

Tennis has had an especially tough time at the box office, as seen by Will Smith‘s Oscar-winning turn in the 2021 release “King Richard,” about the father of Venus and Serena Williams,...

Who loves Zendaya? Show of hands? Well if you do, and Amazon MGM Studios is betting that plenty of 18-24 olds do, you can watch the Euphoria Emmy winner in Imax in Amazon MGM Studio’s Challengers this weekend, then sit around and watch her again in Legendary/Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two.

The R-rated menage a trois tennis romantic comedy, Challengers, finally steps on the court this weekend after being pushed from its Sept. 15 release date due to the actors strike, with an eye at a $15M domestic opening at 3,400 locations, give or take. The pic will serve as a testament to Zendaya’s box office drawing power sans any attachments to major IP, read Dune or Spider-Man. Already working in the favor of the Luca Guadagnino directed, Amy Pascal produced movie are excellent reviews at 95% certified fresh. If this movie can truly breakout, it’s a win...

Your browser does not support the video tag. Lionsgate, Kingdom Story Company, and Candy Rock present the trailer for the upcoming inspirational drama, Unsung Hero. We have an exclusive clip, too. The film follows the Smallbone family from Australia as they move to the US to rebuild their lives after the collapse of their music company. Joel Smallbone of the Christian pop band for King + Country directs, writes, and stars in Unsung Hero, based on the remarkable true story of his family's journey.

We have an exclusive clip of the upcoming drama Unsung Hero, which features Terry O'Quinn as a father talking to his son, played by for King & Country singer Joel Smallbone. We also have the trailer and images for this inspiring film about the Smallbone family, who hail from Australia and find themselves in a foreign land, trying to build a new life together. Unsung Hero is...

Antonio Banderas was drawn to Journey to Bethlehem for its humorous take on the classic biblical story of Mary and Joseph, offering a fresh and charming perspective. Banderas' musical movie debut allowed him to showcase his theatrical abilities, which he had previously demonstrated on stage, and he had a lot of fun recording the songs for the film. The movie emphasizes the theme of love and delivers a simple and heartfelt message that resonates with Banderas, who believes in non-violent and uncomplicated expressions of faith.

After bringing his genre talents to the stage, Antonio Banderas is making his musical movie debut in Journey to Bethlehem. The dramedy acts as a retelling of the story of Mary and Joseph, including their arranged marriage, the strain of learning of being the virgin mother to Jesus Christ, and the jealous king who feels his reign is being threatened.

Alongside Banderas, the ensemble Journey to Bethlehem...

Journey to Bethlehem is a fresh take on the biblical tale of Mary and Joseph, exploring their arranged marriage and Mary's revelation of mothering Jesus Christ. The movie features a talented ensemble cast, including Fiona Palomo and Milo Manheim, and is filled with heartwarming storytelling and energetic musical numbers. Palomo and Manheim discuss their excitement to be part of a project that communicates important values and emphasizes the power of belief, along with their experiences in bringing their characters to life.

A classic biblical tale is getting a fresh twist in Journey to Bethlehem. The movie explores the story of Mary and Joseph as they learn of their arranged marriage, while Mary also grapples with the revelation that she will be the mother to Jesus Christ and the two attempt to navigate their relationship despite skepticism from their families.

Fiona Palomo and Milo Manheim lead the Journey to Bethlehem ensemble cast alongside Antonio Banderas,...

If Disney made Christian movies, they would look like this, with Mary in the mould of Beauty and the Beast’s Belle, Joseph giving Aladdin vibes and Banderas stealing every scene

If you feel the need to watch a faith film, you could do far, far worse than this one, a decently staged musical treatment of the nativity that feels like a Christian version of a live action Disney movie. Mary (Fiona Palomo) is a heroine in the mould of Belle from Beauty and the Beast or Jasmine from Aladdin: bookish and dreaming of a world in which she gets to make her own life decisions, instead of being married off to some guy called Joseph (Milo Manheim) whom she’s never met. Luckily, he turns out to be quite puckish and hunky (also in the Aladdin vein), while your comic relief type characters take the form of the Three Wise Men.

"You're family – they're not in the way, they are the way." Lionsgate has revealed the official trailer for a band biopic movie called Unsung Hero, which is essentially just one big chunk of marketing for the band anyway. It actually stars one of the band members as his own father, and is also written and directed and produced by him. David Smallbone, his pregnant wife, and their seven children leave Australia to rebuild their lives in America. David and Helen realize the musical talent of their children, who become two of the most successful acts in "Inspirational Music" history. The movie also follows the family's mother, Helen, as she uses her faith to hold the family of nine together by turning struggles into an adventure for her children. Not just a movie about a band, it's also more religious storytelling! Unsung Hero stars Daisy Betts, Joel Smallbone, Kirrilee Berger, Jonathan Jackson,...

Lionsgate, Kingdom Story Company, and Candy Rock present the first trailer for the upcoming inspirational drama, Unsung Hero. The film follows the Smallbone family from Australia as they move to the US to rebuild their lives after the collapse of their music company. Joel Smallbone of the Christian pop band for King + Country directs, writes, and stars in Unsung Hero, based on the remarkable true story of his family's journey.

Lionsgate, Kingdom Story Company, and Candy Rock have revealed the official trailer and poster for the upcoming drama Unsung Hero. This all offers a comprehensive look at the Smallbone family, who are essentially the subject of this inspiring new film about a family who hail from Australia and who find themselves in a foreign land, trying to build a new life together. Unsung Hero is scheduled to be released on April 26, 2024, and you can check out the official trailer below.

Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company have won a competitive bidding war for an adaptation of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” The film, to be based on Barbara Robinson’s popular book, will be penned and directed by Dallas Jenkins, the creator, director and producer of “The Chosen.”

“The Best Christmas Pageant,” which has sold over seven million copies since its publication in 1972, centers on the Herdmans – apparently the very worst kids in the history of the world. However, they end up taking over their town’s local Christmas pageant. Possible spoilers – it just might accidentally teach the community the true meaning of Christmas.

Kingdom Story’s Kevin Downes, Daryl Lefever, Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin will produce alongside McDaniel and Thomas. Jenkins will executive produce alongside Molen, Mark Kendell, and Tony Young. Production begins next month in Canada. The film will debut theatrically over the 2024 holiday season.

Jenkins today released...

Exclusive: In a competitive situation, Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company have nabbed The Best Christmas Pageant ever which The Chosen creator/producer/director Dallas Jenkins will direct and adapt from Barbara Robinson’s comedic family book and play. Cameras roll next month in Canada for a 2024 holiday theatrical release.

Jenkins pursued a 15-year journey to secure the rights to The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, rights which have been stewarded by Darin McDaniel, Chet Thomas, and Gerald R. Molen. The book has sold over 7M copies since it was published in 1972.

Dallas Jenkins

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever centers on the Herdmans – absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. But this Christmas, they’re taking over their local church Pageant – and they just might unwittingly teach a shocked community the true meaning of Christmas.

The pic will be produced by Kingdom Story’s Kevin Downes, Daryl Lefever, Andrew Erwin...

You may never see a Christmas musical quite like this. In Journey to Bethlehem, director Adam Anders creates a lavish spectacle capturing “the greatest story ever told” with the tale of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. Anders, who co-wrote the film with Peter Barsocchini, was the executive music producer for Glee before producing The Prom. But with Journey to Bethlehem, the filmmaker takes a big leap of faith — literally — in helming a musical which he wrote, directed, and produced.

The mammoth undertaking features 12 original new songs, performed by a cast featuringFiona Palomo (Outer Banks), Milo Manheim (Zombies), Antonio Banderas (Puss in Boots), King + Country’s Joel Smallbone, and multiple Grammy-winner Lecrae, among many others. The story tracks a young woman with a big responsibility. Themes of love and honor are woven into the cinematic fabric, too, as one couple (Palomo and Manheim) attempt to hold their own...

This November 10th, Sony will be releasing an epic musical for the holidays called Journey to Bethlehem. The Biblical narrative of Mary, Jesus, and his step-dad Joseph is re-told with a vibrant soundtrack performed by a cast led by Fiona Palomo (Outer Banks) and Milo Manheim (Zombies), as well as Antonio Banderas, King + Country’s Joel Smallbone, and multiple Grammy Award winner Lecrae, among others. Adam Anders (executive music producer for Glee) wrote, directed, and produced the film, which features 12 original new songs. We have an exclusive look at the music video for one of those songs, "Brand New Life," from Steven Curtis Chapman and We the Kingdom. The video features extensive scenes from Journey to Bethlehem as well. Take a look.

The synopsis for Journey to Bethlehem reads as follows:

"A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who...

A young woman, young man, and jealous king take center stage in the highly anticipated musical family adventure, Journey to Bethlehem. The trailer for the film has already gained massive popularity online, with 12.5 million views across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Adam Anders, renowned for his work on Glee and The Prom, makes his directorial debut in this unique retelling of the story of Mary and Joseph, featuring 12 original songs and a star-studded cast.

Follow a young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility, a young man torn between love and honor, and a jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown in the newly released trailer for the musical family adventure, Journey to Bethlehem. Released courtesy of Affirm Films, this new footage from Journey to Bethlehem has already seen huge popularity online, amassing 3.3 million views on YouTube, and 12.5 million across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, indicating that many...

Sony Pictures’ faith-focused label Affirm Films and Monarch Media have launched a trailer for Christmas musical film “Journey to Bethlehem.”

The film marks the feature directorial debut of Adam Anders, who was a music producer on “Glee.” A retelling of the the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus, the film is a live-action Christmas musical weaving classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith and new pop songs.

The cast includes Fiona Palomo (“Outer Banks”) as Mary, Milo Manheim (“Prom Pact”) as Joseph, Antonio Banderas (“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”) as Herod, Stephanie Gil (“Fatima”), Rizwan Manji (“Schitt’s Creek”), Geno Segers (“Perfect Harmony”), Omid Djalili (“Gladiator”), Joel Smallbone and Lecrae.

Anders penned the script along with Peter Barsocchini (“High School Musical”) and wrote the music with Nikki Anders (“Glee”) and Peer Astrom (“Rock of Ages”). The film is produced by Anders, Alan Powell and Steve Barnett through Monarch Media,...

Lionsgate has picked up the family drama film “Unsung Hero” from the Christian music duo for King + Country. Helmed by Richard Ramsey and for King + Country’s Joel Smallbone, the film tells the story of Smallbone family’s trek from Australia to America, and Joel and his brother Luke’s path to becoming Grammy-winning artists.

Joel Smallbone stars as his father David in the film, with Daisy Betts playing Joel’s mother Helen. According to the official synopsis, “With nothing more than their seven children, suitcases, and their love of music, David and his pregnant wife Helen set out to rebuild their lives. Based on a remarkable true story, Helen’s faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs. With their own dreams on hold, David and Helen begin to realize the musical prowess in their children.”

The film also stars Kirrilee Berger,...

While the industry fears further theatrical date shakeups for 2023 due to the strikes, next year is getting beefed up. Today, Lionsgate has dated another faith-based music feature from Kingdom Story Company for April 26, that being Unsung Hero.

The pic joins MGM’s Luca Guadagnino-directed R-rated Zendaya romance pic, Challengers, which is already on that date.

Directed and written by Richard Ramsey and Joel Smallbone, Unsung Hero follows the true story of David Smallbone (Joel Smallbone), whose successful music company collapses. He moves his family from Down Under to the States, searching for a brighter future. With nothing more than their seven children, suitcases and their love of music, David and his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) set out to rebuild their lives.

Helen’s faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs. With their own dreams on hold, David and Helen begin...

Lionsgate has picked up Kingdom Story Company’s Unsung Hero, the directorial debut of Joel Smallbone, one half of the Christian music duo For King + Country.

The drama centers on the Smallbone family, which also includes For King + Country member Luke Smallbone and singer-songwriter Rebecca St. James, as they come to America from their native Australia after the collapse of their father’s successful music company.

The movie also follows the family’s mother, Helen Smallbone (Daisy Betts) as she uses her faith to hold the family of nine together by turning struggles into an adventure for her children. The title for the film comes from a For King + Country song of the same name that was dedicated to the parents of Joel and Luke Smallbone.

Joel Smallbone stars as his father, David Smallbone, with other cast including Kirrilee Berger, Jonathan Jackson, Lucas Black, Candace Cameron Bure, Terry O’Quinn and Hillary Scott.

Born in New Mexico in 1997, Amber Midthunder was raised in and around the entertainment industry, as the daughter of an actor and a stuntwoman-turned-casting director. She made her first on-screen performance at the tender age of four in "The Homecoming of Jimmy Whitecloud," and has been acting ever since, with a number of film and TV credits to her name. A citizen of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribe through her father, Midthunder is one of the most prominent Native American actresses working in Hollywood today.

Although perhaps most famous for her breakout role in "Prey," she's taken on a variety of different genres, appearing in everything from action blockbusters and police procedurals to indie dramas and television comedies. The young actress shows no signs of slowing down, either: She is slated to play Princess Yue in the much-anticipated live-action adaptation of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and will also star in "Rez Ball,...

Exclusive: Fiona Palomo is Mary, Milo Manheim is Joseph and Oscar nominee Antonio Banderas is King Herod in Sony Affirm’s upcoming untitled holiday musical centered around the Nativity.

The movie is currently in production with Monarch Media on the coast of Spain for a Nov. 10 theatrical release.

Award-winning music producer Adam Anders is making his feature directorial debut and wrote the script along with Peter Barsocchini (High School Musical franchise) and wrote the music with Nikki Anders and Peer Astrom.

Logline: A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown. This live-action Christmas musical celebration for the entire family, weaves classic Christmas melodies into new pop songs in a music-infused retelling...

The Grammy Awards, now in their 62nd year, once again take place at L.A.’s Staples Center. For the 2020 ceremony, 15-time winner Alicia Keys returns as host for a second consecutive year. Performers include Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Ariana Grande, Jonas Brothers, MusiCares Person of the Year Aerosmith, Camila Cabello, Bts, H.E.R., Brandi Carlile, Gary Clark Jr. and more.

Here’s a rundown of all the Grammy winners. Rolling Stone will be updating this list as awards come in.

Rap Album: Igor, Tyler, The Creator

Comedy Album: Sticks & Stones,...

Nashville-by-way-of-Australia duo For King & Country have been performing their hard-hitting rendition of “Little Drummer Boy” in their concerts for years, but it received a wider audience during Tuesday night’s Cma Country Christmas special on ABC.

A Christian pop group fronted by the brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone, For King & Country place the drums of the holiday chestnut front and center, with multiple percussionists pounding out a rhythmic beat. It’s a transfixing performance that mixes Imagine Dragons flair with Christmastime reverence, as Joel and Luke harmonize on the verses...

Our resident VOD expert tells you what's new to rent and/or own this week via various Digital HD providers such as cable Movies On Demand, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play and, of course, Netflix. Cable Movies On Demand: Same-day-as-disc releases, older titles and pretheatrical Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (action-drama; Joe Alwyn, Kristen Stewart; rated R) The Edge of Seventeen (comedy; Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson; rated R) Arrival (Oscar-nominated sci-fi drama directed by Denis Villeneuve; Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker; available now on cable Mod on the same day as 4K Uhd, Blu-ray and DVD; rated PG-13) Bleed for This (boxing drama; Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhart; rated R) Priceless (thriller-drama; Joel Smallbone, Bianca Santos; rated...

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The traditional fall season of award-season releases gets a late start on Friday with “Moonlight” (A24) and “The Handmaiden” (Magnolia) leading the way. It can’t come a moment too soon.

This weekend, top-quality films “Certain Women” (IFC), “Christine” (The Orchard), “Miss Hokusai” (Gkids) and “Aquarius” (Vitagraph) competed in limited openings. All nabbed good or better reviews. But none scored at the level likely to lead to the sort of wider response and multi-million grosses that normally come along regularly at this time of year.

The weakness can be seen among later-week grosses as films expand. There hasn’t been a breakout crossover release of any significance since “Hell or High Water” (Lionsgate), which is still grossing better than most recent releases.

“Shin Godzilla” (Funimation) showed strength with a midweek opening in a mixed plan of bookings. Similar to “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week” (Abramorama), out-of- the-box distribution seems to be finding positive results.

Human trafficking is not a situation that happens only in overseas countries in Asia, Africa or Europe. In fact, many people don’t realize human and sex trafficking is happening here in our own backyard.

Priceless is a very dramatic, truthful and emotional fictional film that brings to light on this very sensitive subject. Base on true stories, the film follows a driver who later discovers his cargo is actually two sisters from Mexico. He delivers the girls to a prostitute pimp in the United States. With a change of heart, his renewed quest is to save the sisters as he fell in love with one of them.

The film stars Joel Smallbone, Bianca Santos, Jim Parrack and David Koechner. It is directed by Ben Smallbone.

Lrm caught up with actress Bianca Santos in Fresno, Calif., for the opening night red carpet. She graciously took the time to talk about her role,...