From Sound of Freedom to Revolutionary Drama
After capturing audiences across the US heartland in 2023 with Sound of Freedom—a trafficking thriller that posted a $19.6 million three-day opening and a $41.6 million six-day start—faith-based Angel Studios has smashed its own record. Jon Erwin’s historical drama, Young Washington, cleared its $15 million projection to open with $20.8 million over the July 4th weekend.
Hollywood's major studios have largely backed away from tailored heartland releases since Warner Bros’ 2014 American Sniper achieved a massive $350 million domestic run. In that gap, indie distributors like Angel Studios are thriving: Sound of Freedom ended at $184.1 million in the US. Young Washington saw especially strong attendance in the Mountain, Midwest, Southcentral, and Southern regions—these areas accounted for a commanding 67% of the film’s opening weekend revenue. Notably, the top-grossing theater so far isn’t in Los Angeles or New York City, but at The Megaplex 18 Thanksgiving Point in Utah, bringing in $111,000 to date. On July 4, Young Washington ranked second at the domestic box office with $7.6 million, behind Minions & Monsters with $9.4 million.
An Older Audience Returns
The over-55 age group made up an impressive 47% of Young Washington’s audience—remarkable in an era when this demographic has been especially reluctant to return post-pandemic. The film received an A grade from CinemaScore and a strong 81% “definite recommend” score on Screen Engine/Rentrak’s PostTrak survey. As it turns out, stories about George Washington still draw a crowd.
Hollywood Chimes In
Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt, after seeing the movie, encouraged his followers on social media: “get off your ass and run to the movie theater, I’ve just seen Young Washington… it’s like The Revenant, it’s like Pride and Prejudice, it’s like Braveheart…”
Brandon Purdie, Executive Vice President of Theatrical at Angel Studios, reflected on the film’s release:
“Seeing audiences across the country embrace Young Washington during our nation’s 250th anniversary celebration has been incredibly meaningful. This milestone is thanks to the power of great storytelling and our outstanding partners at Wonder Project and 2521 Entertainment, who helped bring this remarkable film to life. We’re grateful to exhibitors nationwide, to every Angel Guild member, and to every moviegoer who chose to experience Young Washington together in theaters this holiday weekend.”
Director Jon Erwin, who also serves as Chief Creative Officer at Wonder Project, said:
“The American experiment is one of the greatest origin stories in history, and George Washington’s journey through failure, perseverance, and sacrifice forged the leader who would help shape a nation. To share that journey with audiences alongside Angel as our nation marks its 250th anniversary has been one of the greatest honors of my career. My hope is that this is the beginning of many extraordinary American stories told through film and television.”
Colonial Hits at the Movies
Colonial-era stories have performed at the box office before: the 2000 film The Patriot, starring Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger and directed by Roland Emmerich, earned $22.4 million in its opening three days, $44.5 million in its first week over Independence Day, and finished at $113.3 million in North America.
With Young Washington off to a strong start and reports of a sequel in development, it’s clear the appetite for bold American stories—driven by both nostalgia and fresh interest—remains strong in US cinemas.
