Sound of Freedom, the unexpected success story, has been embraced by the right wing while drawing criticism from the left due to its lead actor’s association with QAnon. Despite the controversy, the film’s box office performance continues to surge, surpassing Fast X, a movie with a staggering $340 million budget, which is nearly 25 times larger than Sound of Freedom’s modest $14 million budget.
Since its release on July 4, Sound of Freedom, an anti-child s*x trafficking film featuring Jim Caviezel and inspired by the real-life endeavors of former government agent Tim Ballard, has garnered an impressive domestic box office revenue of over $149 million. It has managed to beat Elemental, which grossed $145 million at the domestic box office (US). Disney even shelved the film in 2019.
Sound Of Freedom Working Wonders At Domestic Box Office
Sound of Freedom’s worldwide gross is currently lower due to its limited release only in the United States. Nevertheless, it still stands as the 19th highest-grossing film globally this year, surpassing films like Scream VI, Elemental, and Fast X, which it outperformed domestically.
Angel Studios, the film’s distributor, recently disclosed plans for an international release later this year. The film is set to hit theaters in South Africa on August 18, followed by Australia and New Zealand on August 24, and finally, the United Kingdom and Ireland on September 1.
Sound of Freedom’s remarkable success owes much to the support of various right-wing politicians and media commentators who have passionately championed the film. Some have even conducted interviews with both Jim Caviezel and Tim Ballard. Notably, former President Donald Trump contributed to the film’s promotion by sharing the trailer on his Truth Social media platform and hosting a screening at his New Jersey golf club.
Following his private screening, Donald Trump pledged to employ Title 42, a policy he initiated during the pandemic to prevent migrants from seeking asylum at the border during health crises, to combat child trafficking. Additionally, he vowed to urge Congress to implement the death penalty for child traffickers. It’s worth noting that in 2019, Trump appointed Tim Ballard to a State Department human trafficking advisory council.
Sound Of Freedom Entangled In Controversy
The film’s achievements have faced criticism due to Jim Caviezel’s association with the QAnon conspiracy theory. Reportedly, he has spoken at various QAnon events, where he propagated the unsubstantiated adrenochrome conspiracy theory. This theory claims that political and Hollywood elites harvest children’s blood to consume adrenochrome, a supposed chemical that they believe keeps them youthful.
The theory, which claims rejuvenating properties of the chemical, has been discredited by the scientific community. Ballard has propagated this theory on Jordan Peterson’s YouTube channel, suggesting its occurrence in certain regions of Africa. Angel Studios, the distributor of Sound of Freedom, has explicitly denied any association between the film and conspiracy theories or political ideologies.
Sound of Freedom has faced additional controversy due to investigative reports raising questions about Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), Tim Ballard’s anti-s*x trafficking organization. These reports suggest that OUR may have exaggerated its involvement in rescue missions, and certain law enforcement agencies have expressed that their collaboration with OUR was deemed “insubstantial,” according to Vice’s findings.
Source: Forbes
