Move Over Superheroes: 2014 is the Year of Bible Superstar Movies
- By Alison Lesley --
- 28 Jan 2014 --
Whether you follow the teachings of the Bible or not, you will most likely agree the stories described in it are a rollercoaster. There are all sorts of blockbuster themes rooted within it: thrillers, action stories, romance that can only be likened to novels, thick drama, and chilling apocalyptic tales.
This mixture of themes combined with gripping narrative and picturesque stories have made the Bible become the bestselling book of all time.
2014 will cement the Bible’s status as more than just ancient stories told on paper as it transforms the boundaries of media and crosses into the modern silver screen territory more often than in years past.
In the past couple of years, the rather slow Christian film industry has seen exponential growth that is a clear indication that people professing to the Christian faith are hungry for content that speaks to the soul.
Spiritual content may soothe the soul, however, there is a noticeable difference in the quality of small scale Christian movies, due to the lack of multi-million dollar budgets and exceptional talent a major film studio could provide.
But 2014 is proving to be a year of change, what with well-known studios such as Lionsgate and Sony entering the picture to get their chance at Biblical scripture telling on the big screen.
Here’s a review of the 5 Blockbuster Bible Films that want to shake the movie industry in 2014:
1. Son of God
20th Century Fox Films
Mark Burnett, Reality TV Pioneer and his wife, actress Roma Downey shocked the world last year after they launched the History Channel miniseries The Bible which went ahead and set records in the history of television.
The Christian couple took part of the series footage and partnered with 20th Century Fox to create Son of God. The film, based on the life of Jesus Christ, is expected to attract many church-going Americans to the movie theaters.
The film is set to debut in February.
Since it’s the first of the five movies to be released, it will surely set a trail for the other four big Bible movies of 2014.
2. Heaven is For Real
Sony Pictures
This movie is set to hit the screen in April 2014. However, it’s not technically a bible movie but it is set to riff on some of the most popular themes of the Bible including salvation, Jesus, and heaven. The film is based on the novel Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent, New York Times bestseller.
The film features stars such as Kelly Reilly, Greg Kinnear and Thomas Haden Church. The film revolves around the life of a young boy who experienced life-after-death during an emergency surgery. The film will be released in April, just ahead of the Easter holiday.
3. Noah
Regency Enterprises
The Biblical story of Noah is set to be released on November 2014. The movie has already garnered big publicity thanks to its allocation budget of $130 million. Noah’s cast is comprised of Russell Crowe taking the Captain of the Ship mantle and other significant and big actors include Sir Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson and Jennifer Connelly.
The critically acclaimed director of Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky) is the man behind this movie. If the breathtaking trailer is anything to go by, the film is set to be fantastic considering that massive artistic liberties that were used to emphasize more details that were not in the bible.
4. Exodus
20th Century Fox
Scheduled to be released in December 2014, Twentieth Century Fox remains mum on the film Exodus. However, what is known about the film is it speaks of the ancient Biblical story of the Israelites of yesteryear that were seeking liberation from their Egyptian captors.
The role of Moses is played by Christian Bale and Sigourney Weaver will co-star. However, it is said that critics will be eager to watch the film and compare it to The Ten Commandments film released in 1956 that starred Charlton Heston.
The sudden rise of Bible-themed films is clearly testimony that no matter how old the narratives are, they still captivate the hearts and minds of many religious patrons. It is also a sharp reminder that Hollywood’s main instigator is cashflow rather than religious motives.
Hollywood is using this platform to give audiences exactly what they want. The point is; the film industry reflects what the society is into and what it desires; violence, sex and many captivating stories that have a touch of God in within them.
2014 will be the defining year for determining how large the desire is in society for Christian-based blockbuster films.