Angel Studios' cinematic bet is once again very ambitious. Its new animated production, David (2025), debuted to $22 million in the U.S., marking a milestone as the highest-grossing religious-themed animated release to date, surpassing even The prince of Egypt. It is also the best three-day start in the studio's history, surpassing even the phenomenon that was Sound of Freedom.
This success confirms the muscle of a production company that had already won over audiences with the series The Chosen, and now transfers its accessible and emotional approach to the field of family animation. David adopts an aesthetic clearly inspired by the classic Disney model: direct narrative, didactic tone and a constant balance between adventure, light humor and musical numbers that energize the story.
The plot
The film focuses on the figure of David, one of the most iconic characters of the Old Testament. A shepherd in his youth and later king of Israel, his story combines episodes of faith, courage - such as the famous confrontation with Goliath - and a great spiritual dimension reflected in the psalms. The film opts for an approach adapted for children: it focuses on his rise and the conflict with King Saul, leaving out more controversial or complex episodes of his life, such as adultery.
This narrative decision translates into a gentler tone. The harshest passages of the biblical story are softened -without losing their essence- to adapt to a wide audience, especially children. Thus, violence is suggested rather than explicit, and the story becomes an accessible gateway to the character.
On vocals, the original version features names like Phil Wickham, Brandon Engman, Asim Chaudhry, Mick Wingert, Will de Renzy-Martin and Lauren Daigle. The songs, also well adapted into Spanish, add rhythm and reinforce the film's compelling pace.
Directed by Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes, with screenplay by Kyle Portbury, Sam Wilson and Dawes himself, David to make millenary history accessible and entertaining for new generations.
