Kingdom Story Company

{{Infobox company

|name = Kingdom Story Company

| former_name = Kingdom Studios (2019)

|logo = Kingdom Studios.png

|logo_caption = Logo since 2019

|logo_size = 200px

|predecessor =

|type = Film production

|foundation = {{start date and age|2019|3|26}}

|location_city =

|location = Nashville, Tennessee
Los Angeles, California

|locations =

|owner = Lionsgate Studios
Erwin brothers
Kevin Downes
Tony Young

|founder(s) = Erwin Brothers
Kevin Downes
Tony Young

|divisions =

|key_people = Jon Erwin {{small|(CEO)}}
Andrew Erwin {{small|(CCO)}}
Kevin Downes {{small|(Chief of Production and Distribution)}}
Tony Young {{small|(Chairman)}}

|industry = Faith-based entertainment

|products = Motion pictures
Television programming

|homepage={{URL|www.kingdomstorycompany.com}}

|footnotes={{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/i-can-imagine-producers-lionsgate-set-faith-based-film-slate-1197642|title='I Can Only Imagine' Producers, Lionsgate Set Faith-Based Film Slate|author=Mia Galuppo|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 27, 2019|accessdate=August 24, 2019}}

}}

Kingdom Story Company (formerly known as Kingdom Studios) is an American independent film and television studio in partnership with Lionsgate specializing in the production of Christian films. It was founded on March 26, 2019 by the Erwin Brothers (Jon and Andrew Erwin), Kevin Downes, and Tony Young and has operations in Nashville, Tennessee, and Los Angeles, California.

History

Kingdom was funded by profits from the Erwins' film I Can Only Imagine, which was released in early 2018 by Lionsgate, grossing more than $83 million at the domestic box office on a $7 million budget.{{cite web|url=http://www.bpnews.net/51788/erwins-unveil-next-plans-envision-christian-pixar|title=Erwins unveil next plans, envision 'Christian Pixar'|author=Michael Foust|publisher=Baptist Press|date=October 18, 2018|accessdate=August 24, 2019}} Subsequent negotiations with Lionsgate culminated in a multi-year deal in which it was agreed that the Erwin Brothers and Kevin Downes would create faith-based feature films and television programming for the company.{{cite web|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/new-christian-movies-and-tv-coming-soon-lionsgate-signs-deal-with-i-can-only-imagine-filmmakers.html|title=New Christian Movies and TV Coming Soon; Lionsgate Signs Deal With 'I Can Only Imagine' Filmmakers|author=Jeannie Law|publisher=Christian Post|date=August 15, 2018|accessdate=August 24, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lionsgate-signs-multi-platform-film-and-television-first-look-deal-with-the-erwin-brothers-and-kevin-downes-300695145.html|title=Lionsgate Signs Multi-Platform Film and Television First-Look Deal With the Erwin Brothers and Kevin Downes|author=|publisher=PRNewswire.com|date=August 9, 2018|accessdate=August 24, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.christiancinema.com/news/lionsgate-studios-sign-erwin-brothers-to-deal-for-film-tv-projects|title=Lionsgate Studios Sign Erwin Brothers to Deal for Film & TV Projects|author=|date=August 10, 2018|publisher=ChristianCinema.com|access-date=August 23, 2019|quote=}} Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chairman, Joe Drake, and Television Group Chairman, Kevin Beggs announced the agreement on August 9, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.vitalthrills.com/2018/08/10/lionsgate-signs-film-tv-deal/|title=Lionsgate Signs Film and TV Deal with the I Can Only Imagine Team|author=Mirko Parlevliet|publisher=Vital Thrills|date=August 10, 2018|accessdate=January 18, 2020}}

Kingdom Story Company was announced to have been launched on March 26, 2019, at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Anaheim, California.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/kingdom-studios-faith-based-slate-lionsgate-jesus-christ-1202584085/|title=Kingdom Studios Unveils Faith-Based Lionsgate Slate: 'Jesus Revolution', 'Apostles: Resurrection Of Christ', 'Drummer Boy'|author=Anthony D'Allessandro|date=March 27, 2019|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=August 23, 2019|quote=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bpnews.net/52649/erwins-unveil-details-of-unprecedented-film-venture|title=Erwins unveil details of unprecedented film venture|author=Michael Foust|publisher=Baptist Press|date=March 28, 2019|accessdate=August 24, 2019}}

I Still Believe, Kingdom's first film project, began filming in the spring of 2019 and was released on March 13, 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/gary-sinise-kj-apa-to-role-in-faith-based-film-i-still-believe-about-singer-jeremy-camp|title=Gary Sinise, KJ Apa will star in faith-based film 'I Still Believe' about singer Jeremy Camp|author=Caleb Parke|date=April 8, 2019 |publisher=Fox News|access-date=August 23, 2019|quote=}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/02/jeremy-camp-faith-based-movie-i-still-believe-lionsgate-i-can-only-imagine-team-1202552190/|title=Lionsgate Reunites With 'I Can Only Imagine' Team For 'I Still Believe' About Faith-Based Singer Jeremy Camp|author=Anthony D'Allessandro|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|date=February 7, 2019|accessdate=August 24, 2019}}

In September 2019, it was announced that Kingdom would be launching a television division, headed by The Big Bang Theory producer Mona Garcea.{{cite web |url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-company-kingdom-launches-tv-division-run-by-big-bang-theory-producer.html|title=Christian company Kingdom launches TV division run by 'Big Bang Theory' producer|author=Jeannie Law|date=September 15, 2019 |publisher=Christian Post|access-date=December 6, 2019|quote=}}{{cite web |url=https://www.thewrap.com/mona-garcea-joins-faith-based-kingdom-studios-as-head-of-television/|title=Mona Garcea Joins Faith-Based Kingdom Studios as Head of Television|author=Margeaux Sippell|date=September 10, 2019 |publisher=The Wrap|access-date=December 6, 2019|quote=}}

After Kingdom acquired the film rights to NFL quarterback Kurt Warner's life story, interviews, and memoir, American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story was announced in February 2020, and released on December 25, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/02/american-underdog-the-kurt-warner-story-jon-erwin-andrew-erwin-david-aaron-cohen-1202851291/|title=Erwin Brothers To Direct Kurt Warner Biopic, 'Friday Night Lights' Scribe David Aaron Cohen To Write|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|author=Dino-Ray Ramos|date=February 4, 2020|accessdate=February 4, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vitalthrills.com/2020/02/04/erwin-brothers-to-direct-american-underdog-the-kurt-warner-story/|title=Erwin Brothers to Direct American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story|publisher=Vital Thrills|author=Mirko Parlevliet|date=February 4, 2020|accessdate=February 4, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/kurt-warner-movie-lionsgate-1203492457/|title=Lionsgate Developing Movie on Former NFL Player Kurt Warner|publisher=Variety|author=Dave McNary|date=February 4, 2020|accessdate=February 4, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kurt-warner-movie-works-i-can-imagine-team-1276259|title=Kurt Warner Movie in the Works From Lionsgate and 'I Can Only Imagine' Team|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Etan Vlessing|date=February 4, 2020|accessdate=February 4, 2020}} Most recently, the company had renewed its first-look deal with Lionsgate.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2024-11-12 |title=Kingdom Story Company Renews Three-Year First-Look Deal With Lionsgate |url=https://deadline.com/2024/11/kingdom-story-lionsgate-extend-first-look-deal-1236174071/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}

Filmography

Kingdom Story Company intends to produce two faith-based films per year, and has of yet revealed four productions, each one slated for a prospective 2020 or 2021 wide release by Lionsgate.{{cite web |url=https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/filmmaker-erwin-brothers-announce-4-new-movies-launch-studio.html |title=Filmmaker Erwin Brothers Announce 4 New Movies, Launch Studio|author=Michael Foust|date=March 28, 2019 |publisher= ChristianHeadlines.com|access-date=August 23, 2019|quote=}} Each of the films were unveiled at the National Religious Broadcasters convention at Anaheim, California in March 2019. I Still Believe, based on Jeremy Camp's life during his first wife's cancer battle, was Kingdom's first film to be theatrically released. The other films announced are Apostles: Resurrection of Christ, which is to be the first in a trilogy based on the New Testament, Jesus Revolution, which is based on the events surrounding the Jesus Movement, and The Drummer Boy, which will be produced in cooperation with Christian music group For King and Country.{{cite web|url=https://www.vitalthrills.com/2019/03/27/kingdom-studios-faith-based-slate-lionsgate/|title=Kingdom Studios Announces Faith-Based Slate with Lionsgate|author=Mirko Parlevliet|publisher=Vital Thrills|date=March 27, 2019|accessdate=August 28, 2019}} American Underdog is a sports drama biopic based on the life of Kurt Warner.

=Films=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col"\| Film ! scope="col"\| Director(s) ! scope="col" style="width:10%;"\| Prospective year of release ! scope="col" style="width:10%; text-align:center;"\| References
style="text-align:center;"\|I Still Believe \|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"\| Erwin brothers \|style="text-align:center;"\| 2020 \|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1"\| {{cite web\|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/i-can-only-imagine-team-launches-faith-based-movie-studio-announces-four-new-films.html\|title='I Can Only Imagine' team launches faith-based movie studio, announces four new films\|author=Leah MarieAnn Klett\|publisher=Christian Post\|date=March 29, 2019\|accessdate=August 24, 2019}}
style="text-align:center;"\| The Jesus Music \|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2" \| 2021 \|style="text-align:center;"\|
style="text-align:center;"\| American Underdog \|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1"\|
style="text-align:center;"\| Jesus Revolution \|style="text-align:center;"\| Jon Erwin & Brent McCorkle \|style="text-align:center;"\| 2023 \|style="text-align:center;"\|
style="text-align:center;"\| Ordinary Angels \|style="text-align:center;"\| Jon Gunn \|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="4"\| 2024 \|style="text-align:center;"\|
style="text-align:center;"\| Unsung Hero \|style="text-align:center;"\| Joel Smallbone and Richard Ramsey \|style="text-align:center;"\|{{cite web\|title=Lionsgate Nabs 'Unsung Hero' Drama from Music Duo For King + Country (Exclusive)\|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/unsung-hero-king-country-movie-1235548803/\|website=The Hollywood Reporter\|last=Vlessing\|first=Etan\|date=August 1, 2023\|access-date=August 1, 2023}}
style="text-align:center;"\| White Bird \|style="text-align:center;"\| Marc Forster \|style="text-align:center;"\|
style="text-align:center;"\| The Best Christmas Pageant Ever \|style="text-align:center;"\| Dallas Jenkins \|style="text-align:center;"\|{{cite web\|last=D'Alessandro\|first=Anthony\|title=Lionsgate & Kingdom Story Company Team With 'The Chosen' Creator Dallas Jenkins For 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever', 2024 Theatrical Release Planned\|url=https://deadline.com/2023/11/best-christmas-pageant-ever-movie-lionsgate-the-chosen-1235599443/\|website=Deadline Hollywood\|date=November 10, 2023\|access-date=November 10, 2023}}
style="text-align:center;"\| The Unbreakable Boy \|style="text-align:center;"\| Jon Gunn \|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"\|2025 \|style="text-align:center;"\|{{cite web\|url=https://twitter.com/unbreakableboy/status/1463191125854867461\|date=November 23, 2021\|title=The Unbreakable Boy Announcement on Twitter\|accessdate=December 6, 2021}}{{cite web\|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/621294/the-unbreakable-boy-release-date-cast-and-more/\|date=October 1, 2021\|title=The Unbreakable Boy: Release Date, Cast, And More\|accessdate=December 6, 2021}}
style="text-align:center;"\| Sarah's Oil \|style="text-align:center;"\| Cyrus Nowrasteh \|style="text-align:center;"\|{{cite web\|last=Grobar\|first=Matt\|title=Zachary Levi & Naya Desir-Johnson To Topline Amazon MGM Drama 'Sarah's Oil'; Sonequa Martin-Green And Garret Dillahunt Among Others Set\|url=https://deadline.com/2024/08/zachary-levi-naya-desir-johnson-to-star-sarahs-oil-amazon-mgm-1236031652/\|website=Deadline Hollywood\|date=August 5, 2024\|access-date=August 5, 2024}}
style="text-align:center;"\| I Can Only Imagine 2 \|style="text-align:center;"\| Andrew Erwin and Brent McCorkle \|style="text-align:center;"\| 2026 \|style="text-align:center;"\|{{cite web \|url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/i-can-only-imagine-2-release-date-march-2026-1236343935/ \|title='I Can Only Imagine 2' Sets March 2026 Release From Lionsgate (EXCLUSIVE) \|website=Variety \|last=Stephan \|first=Katcy \|date=March 20, 2025 \|access-date=March 20, 2025}}
style="text-align:center;" \| Apostles: Resurrection of Christ \| style="text-align:center;" \| Erwin Brothers \| style="text-align:center;" \| TBA \| rowspan="2" \|{{cite web\|url=https://www.ncregister.com/blog/kschiffer/i-still-believe-will-touch-hearts-strengthen-faith\|title='I Still Believe' Will Touch Hearts, Strengthen Faith\|author=Kathy Schiffer\|publisher=National Catholic Register\|date=March 9, 2020\|accessdate=March 12, 2020}}{{Cite web \|last=Grobar \|first=Matt \|date=2022-03-24 \|title=Hilary Swank & 'Reacher' Breakout Alan Ritchson To Lead Kingdom Story Company's 'Ordinary Angels'; Lionsgate Distributing \|url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/hilary-swank-alan-ritchson-to-star-in-ordinary-angels-for-lionsgate-1234986170/ \|access-date=2022-04-09 \|website=Deadline \|language=en-US}}
style="text-align:center;" \| The Drummer Boy \| style="text-align:center;" \| Joel and Luke Smallbone \| style="text-align:center;" \| TBA

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

scope="col"| Film

! scope="col"| Director(s)

! scope="col" style="width:10%;"| Prospective year of release

! scope="col" style="width:10%; text-align:center;"| References

style="text-align:center;"|I Still Believe

|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"| Erwin brothers

|style="text-align:center;"| 2020

|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1"| {{cite web|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/i-can-only-imagine-team-launches-faith-based-movie-studio-announces-four-new-films.html|title='I Can Only Imagine' team launches faith-based movie studio, announces four new films|author=Leah MarieAnn Klett|publisher=Christian Post|date=March 29, 2019|accessdate=August 24, 2019}}

style="text-align:center;"| The Jesus Music

|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2" | 2021

|style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"| American Underdog

|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1"|

style="text-align:center;"| Jesus Revolution

|style="text-align:center;"| Jon Erwin & Brent McCorkle

|style="text-align:center;"| 2023

|style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"| Ordinary Angels

|style="text-align:center;"| Jon Gunn

|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="4"| 2024

|style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"| Unsung Hero

|style="text-align:center;"| Joel Smallbone and Richard Ramsey

|style="text-align:center;"|{{cite web|title=Lionsgate Nabs 'Unsung Hero' Drama from Music Duo For King + Country (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/unsung-hero-king-country-movie-1235548803/|website=The Hollywood Reporter|last=Vlessing|first=Etan|date=August 1, 2023|access-date=August 1, 2023}}

style="text-align:center;"| White Bird

|style="text-align:center;"| Marc Forster

|style="text-align:center;"|

style="text-align:center;"| The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

|style="text-align:center;"| Dallas Jenkins

|style="text-align:center;"|{{cite web|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|title=Lionsgate & Kingdom Story Company Team With 'The Chosen' Creator Dallas Jenkins For 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever', 2024 Theatrical Release Planned|url=https://deadline.com/2023/11/best-christmas-pageant-ever-movie-lionsgate-the-chosen-1235599443/|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=November 10, 2023|access-date=November 10, 2023}}

style="text-align:center;"| The Unbreakable Boy

|style="text-align:center;"| Jon Gunn

|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2025

|style="text-align:center;"|{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/unbreakableboy/status/1463191125854867461|date=November 23, 2021|title=The Unbreakable Boy Announcement on Twitter|accessdate=December 6, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/621294/the-unbreakable-boy-release-date-cast-and-more/|date=October 1, 2021|title=The Unbreakable Boy: Release Date, Cast, And More|accessdate=December 6, 2021}}

style="text-align:center;"| Sarah's Oil

|style="text-align:center;"| Cyrus Nowrasteh

|style="text-align:center;"|{{cite web|last=Grobar|first=Matt|title=Zachary Levi & Naya Desir-Johnson To Topline Amazon MGM Drama 'Sarah's Oil'; Sonequa Martin-Green And Garret Dillahunt Among Others Set|url=https://deadline.com/2024/08/zachary-levi-naya-desir-johnson-to-star-sarahs-oil-amazon-mgm-1236031652/|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=August 5, 2024|access-date=August 5, 2024}}

style="text-align:center;"| I Can Only Imagine 2

|style="text-align:center;"| Andrew Erwin and Brent McCorkle

|style="text-align:center;"| 2026

|style="text-align:center;"|{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/i-can-only-imagine-2-release-date-march-2026-1236343935/ |title='I Can Only Imagine 2' Sets March 2026 Release From Lionsgate (EXCLUSIVE) |website=Variety |last=Stephan |first=Katcy |date=March 20, 2025 |access-date=March 20, 2025}}

style="text-align:center;" | Apostles: Resurrection of Christ

| style="text-align:center;" | Erwin Brothers

| style="text-align:center;" | TBA

| rowspan="2" |{{cite web|url=https://www.ncregister.com/blog/kschiffer/i-still-believe-will-touch-hearts-strengthen-faith|title='I Still Believe' Will Touch Hearts, Strengthen Faith|author=Kathy Schiffer|publisher=National Catholic Register|date=March 9, 2020|accessdate=March 12, 2020}}{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2022-03-24 |title=Hilary Swank & 'Reacher' Breakout Alan Ritchson To Lead Kingdom Story Company's 'Ordinary Angels'; Lionsgate Distributing |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/hilary-swank-alan-ritchson-to-star-in-ordinary-angels-for-lionsgate-1234986170/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}

style="text-align:center;" | The Drummer Boy

| style="text-align:center;" | Joel and Luke Smallbone

| style="text-align:center;" | TBA