Neal Harmon, co-founder and CEO of Angel Studios, told Newsmax on Monday that after two decades of Hollywood banking on comic book heroes to produce blockbuster results at the box office, it's time for "a real superhero movie" to make its way into theaters this Independence Day.
Harmon told "The Chris Salcedo Show" it wasn't that easy for him and his studio to bring a real-life superhero to the screen, but his wait could be paying dividends with Tuesday's theatrical release of "Sound of Freedom," which is based on the life of Tim Ballard, a former federal agent who devoted his life to saving children caught up in human trafficking rings.
"One of the hardest parts about this story has been getting it to market," Harmon said. "This movie has been done for almost five years. Here in the United States, we've had 20 years of amazing superhero movies. But it's time for a true story, a real superhero movie, and it is fitting that the people who finally brought this film to market were the Angel [Studio] investors, the regular people who support this film."
Angel Studios is a streaming platform that has shifted its focus to producing and distributing theatrical films. It raises money through crowdfunding; more than 7,000 people — "Angel investors" as Harmon calls them — contributed $5 million to produce "Sound of Freedom."
The movie stars Jim Caviezel ("The Passion of the Christ") as Ballard, and Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino ("Mighty Aphrodite') as his wife, Katherine. It was directed by Alejandro Monteverde.
More than 1 million tickets have been presold, generating $10 million in revenue before the movie even hits the screen. It is expected to open in about 2,600 theaters nationwide Tuesday. Harmon said the goal is to sell 2 million tickets this week.
"That's 2 million for representing the 2 million children who will be trafficked this year," Harmon said. "It helps give us a sense for the enormity of the problem, but then take it down to the individual as we ... take our ticket and see all the people who are there at the theaters, we will think of these children and will be inspired to act."
Harmon said he thinks the film will help to shine a light on the dark world of the trafficking of children.
"This film is exciting. It's thrilling. It's a true tale, and it's ultimately hopeful," Harmon said. "I think that the hope that you feel when you finish [watching] this film is going to inspire action, and I do think there's going to be a waking up of society to what's happening to these children and we will collectively find a way to better help them."
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