Values-based films: A fresh lens on a growing market
By Roger Lindley
A Fresh Lens on a Growing Market
The 2024 box office sleeper The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, directed by Dallas Jenkins, didn’t just jingle holiday bells—it threw open the door to an overlooked film market. Sure, the trend’s been simmering for years (COVID notwithstanding) but seeing validation in dollars and cents has me grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. After decades of faith-based films stumbling through low-budget cringe, the indie scene has leveled up. Faith-adjacent titles like Jesus Revolution, Sound of Freedom, and Ordinary Angels tiptoed toward secular audiences, but Pageant might’ve cracked the code—or at least given us a solid nudge. Call me an optimist, just don’t call me late for dinner.
This isn’t just about faith-based films finding their footing. It’s about something bigger: values-based films. Let’s unpack that term, because it’s not just a buzzword—it’s a market poised to outshine its faith-focused cousins.
Faith-Based vs. Faith-Adjacent: The Old Guard
Faith-based films are easy to spot: they’re built around overt religious themes—think conversions, miracles, or spiritual journeys, often with a sermon tucked in the credits. War Room (2015) is a classic—prayer warriors battling life’s woes with Bible verses. They’re preaching to the choir, and the choir loves it. Faith-adjacent films, meanwhile, dial it back. They weave faith into the story as a quiet motivator—think kindness in Ordinary Angels or redemption in Jesus Revolution—without waving a cross in your face. They’re flirting with crossover appeal, but still tethered to a spiritual vibe that can spook secular viewers.
Both have their place, and they’ve matured impressively. Production values are up, and box office hauls prove it:
I Still Believe (2020): $10.4M domestic, $16.1M worldwide. A pre-COVID hit about Christian singer Jeremy Camp.
Father Stu (2022): $21.6M domestic. Mark Wahlberg’s boxer-to-priest tale punched above its weight.
Sound of Freedom (2023): $184.2M domestic, $250.6M worldwide. Grassroots hype turned it into a juggernaut.
Jesus Revolution (2023): $52.1M domestic. Blew past its $15M budget with ‘70s revival vibes.
Ordinary Angels (2024): $19.2M domestic. Hilary Swank’s tearjerker showed polish pays off.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024): $52.1M domestic by early 2025. Humor and heart made it a holiday winner.
Faith-based films peaked in 2023 with Sound of Freedom’s cultural buzz, cooled a bit in 2024, but held steady with Pageant. Compared to blockbusters like Inside Out 2 ($653M domestic in 2024), they’re modest—but low budgets and loyal fans keep them profitable. Companies like Kingdom Story Company and Angel Studios have ditched the preachiness for grit and inspiration, carving a niche amid superhero overload.
Enter Values-Based Films: The Big Tent
Here’s where we pivot. Faith-based and faith-adjacent films are thriving, but they’re still niche—too tied to religion for some, too narrow to dominate. Values-based films are different. Picture this: a movie with a killer story, no crude language, no gratuitous sex, no preachy agendas (Hollywood or holy), just a focus on universal values—think courage, family, integrity, or hope. Faith might sprinkle in, but it’s not the star; it’s a guest at the table, not the host. Hollywood’s golden age knew this trick—think It’s a Wonderful Life or The Sound of Music, timeless hits that leaned on heart and humanity without needing a soapbox. Today’s independently produced, values-based films could reclaim that legacy, but with a modern twist. More recent studio films such as The Blind Side also fall into the values-based category, but studio films are outside the reach of most filmmakers and investors and are, therefore, outside the scope of this discussion.
Take The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. It has Christian roots—church pageants don’t scream atheism after all—but it’s not about saving souls. It’s about rowdy kids, community, and a little holiday magic. Secular folks didn’t flinch; they laughed and cried alongside Aunt Shirley from the pews. That’s values-based: a story that resonates without forcing a filter. Contrast that with War Room—a fine film for its audience, but it’s not luring Joe, the never-churched diesel mechanic, to the theater.
Why’s this a game-changer? Because it’s a wider net. Christians who love faith-based films will happily watch a secular flick (think The Blind Side or Forrest Gump) if it aligns with their values. Secular audiences, though? They’re less likely to bite on overt faith fare. A values-based film bridges that gap, appealing to Aunt Shirley and Joe—folks who want entertainment that doesn’t make them squirm or scoff, whether they pray on Sundays or not.
The Numbers Back It Up—And Hint at More
Faith-based films show the appetite is there. Sound of Freedom’s $250M worldwide haul wasn’t just believers; it tapped into justice and heroism—values with broad pull. Pageant’s $52M (and counting) leaned on humor and heart, not doctrine. These hits hint at a larger, untapped market: people craving stories that uplift without alienating. At Profound Studios, we’re not ditching faith-based roots—great stories there are my heritage, and we’ll keep making them when it fits. But values-based films? That’s the frontier, and it’s wide open.
Why It’ll Overtake the Rest
Here’s my bet: values-based films will outgrow faith-based and faith-adjacent by a country mile. Christians cross over to secular content all the time; the reverse is rare. Targeting a demographic that spans traditionalists to skeptics—people with wallets who’d rather not dodge F-bombs, sex scenes, or sermons—means more eyeballs, more tickets, more buzz. It’s not about rejecting faith; it’s about amplifying what works for everyone. Think of it like a Venn diagram: faith-based is one circle, secular is another, and values-based is the sweet spot where they overlap—and then some.
Your Turn
What do you think—any films from this era surprise you with their reach? For me, Pageant’s proof we’re onto something. Values-based isn’t just a label; it’s a market waiting to explode. Happy watching!
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