Biblical Musical David Beats Sydney Sweeney's Thriller at Box Office
An animated biblical musical unexpectedly outperformed Sydney Sweeney's erotic thriller in a surprising weekend showdown that nobody saw coming.
This past weekend delivered one of the most unexpected box office battles in recent memory, as Angel Studios' animated biblical musical about King David managed to edge out Sydney Sweeney's psychological thriller in what can only be described as a clash between the sacred and the sensual.
Divine Competition Takes the Lead
The animated feature about the biblical king secured approximately $22 million during its opening weekend, marking Angel Studios' most successful theatrical launch to date. Meanwhile, Sweeney's psychological drama, adapted from Freida McFadden's popular novel, brought in a respectable $19 million through Lionsgate's distribution.
Paul Feig directed the thriller, which features Sweeney alongside Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar. Critics responded favorably to the adaptation, awarding it a "certified fresh" 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The biblical musical found even stronger support from audiences, earning an impressive 98% audience score from viewers.
Sweeney's Career Turnaround
For Sweeney, this opening represents a dramatic improvement over her recent theatrical releases. Her previous leading role in the sports drama Christy managed only $2 million during its entire theatrical run, despite receiving decent reviews. The contrast is striking - her latest film earned nearly ten times that amount in just three days.
The thriller's 74% critical rating actually surpasses Christy's 66% score, suggesting that both quality and audience appeal aligned for this release. After several commercial disappointments including Eden and Americana, with her last three films combining for less than $5 million total, this performance provides much-needed momentum for the actress's big-screen career.
Biblical Epic's Winning Formula
The animated musical follows the journey of the shepherd boy who becomes Israel's greatest king, chronicling his rise from tending sheep in Bethlehem to his legendary confrontation with the giant Goliath. Phil Wickham voices the adult version of the title character, while Brandon Engman returns as the younger David from the previous miniseries.
The production team invested heavily in authenticity, conducting research throughout Israel and studying historical sites including Jerusalem, the Valley of Elah, and the Dead Sea. Grammy-winning songwriter Jonas Myrin created the musical score, recorded with the Budapest Film Orchestra to capture the epic scope of the biblical narrative. The film earned an A grade from CinemaScore audiences and reached $26 million worldwide by the weekend's end.