Biblical Animated Film David Sets Box Office Record Amid Rumors Disney and Paramount Tried to Limit Screenings

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The surprisingly strong performance of the animated film David is one of the most notable stories coming out of this year’s holiday movie season.

As a movie lover, I was really surprised to see the numbers for the new animated musical, David! Forbes reported it brought in a whopping $22 million domestically on its opening weekend. That’s huge, and apparently it’s a new record for Angel Studios, the distributor known for faith-based films. It even beat out their previous big hit, Sound of Freedom, which opened with $19.6 million last year. It’s exciting to see a film like this really connect with audiences.

The film David had a very successful opening weekend, landing at No. 2 in the U.S. box office charts, just behind James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash. It also achieved the biggest opening weekend of any animated film ever released by Angel Studios, surpassing the $19.4 million debut of The King of Kings.

A Breakout Opening for Angel Studios

The animated movie David debuted in 3,118 theaters across North America, which is a large release for a film centered around faith. It’s a PG-rated musical retelling of the story of King David, designed for families to enjoy.

The movie was created after Angel Studios bought the rights to the story of David, working with 2521 Entertainment. They also plan to release a five-part animated series based on the story. Phil Wickham voices David, with Brandon Engman as young David and Brian Stivale as Samuel. Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes directed the film.

Angel Studios leaders saw the film’s successful launch as proof that audiences want movies with strong values, especially during the Christmas season, and that families are looking for different options than what major studios usually offer.

Rumors of Studio Pressure Begin Circulating

As David’s movies started becoming popular and attracting attention, a different and much more debated story began circulating online.

Reports are surfacing that Disney and Paramount are pressuring theaters not to screen the film David. This kind of tactic isn’t new, and people are speaking out to support the movie. #PromoteDavid

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) December 19, 2025

Just before the movie came out, Riley Gaines shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) stating that Disney and Paramount Pictures were supposedly pressuring theaters not to show the film David. The post quickly became popular, getting over a million views.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rob Schneider (@iamrobschneider)

Rob Schneider, the actor, shared the claim on Instagram, saying that big movie studios were supposedly trying to get theaters to show the film less or not at all.

It is important to note that these claims remain unverified.

What Is — and Isn’t — Confirmed

At present:

  • No theater chains have confirmed receiving pressure from Disney or Paramount
  • No trade publications such as Variety, Deadline, or The Hollywood Reporter have substantiated the allegation
  • Neither Disney nor Paramount has issued a public response addressing the claims
  • No legal filings, exhibitor statements, or internal communications have been made public

It’s now confirmed that several public figures are making this claim, and it’s become a popular topic of discussion online as the film is released.

A “David vs. Goliath” Narrative

Still, the symbolism has not gone unnoticed.

Despite a lack of proof that anything helped boost its numbers, fans are celebrating the opening weekend of David as a significant underdog story. The independent, faith-based animated film exceeded expectations, especially considering it debuted during a busy holiday season typically ruled by major Hollywood studios.

The film’s box office success is undeniable. “The David” has proven to be a significant win for Angel Studios, showing that faith-based movies can still attract audiences in theaters, even when most films are sequels or based on well-known franchises from large companies.

Currently, David is a major success story of the holiday season. Its impressive box office numbers are confirmed, even though the issues surrounding the film remain a topic of debate.

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2025-12-22 16:58