‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ Tops $11M; Producer Andrew Erwin Hopes Film Will Be a Gospel Conversation Starter

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” was well received by moviegoers in its opening weekend, bringing in over $11 million and coming in third at the box office behind “Venom: The Last Dance” and “Heretic.”

Dallas Jenkins’ (creator of “The Chosen”) film stars Judy Greer (“Ant Man,” “Jurassic World,” “The Wedding Planner”), Pete Holmes (“The Secret Life of Pets 2,” “Crashing”), Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls,” “Evan Almighty”), Elizabeth Tabish (“The Chosen”), Kirk B.R. Woller (“The Chosen”), and Molly Belle Wright.

 

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While walking the red carpet at the premiere of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” Andrew Erwin, who is co-founder and chief creative officer of Kingdom Story Company, told ChurchLeaders that it’s been “amazing” to see this film come to life.

“When Dallas Jenkins brought us this story and told us that he wanted to take this book and bring it to life,” Erwin, who was a producer for the film, shared, “[he] said that he wanted to also make sure the gospel was loud and clear—’I want Jesus to be at the center of it, but I also want to make something that’s mainstream and really entertaining.’ We at Kingdom Story Company were like, ‘That is a tough sell, but let’s do it!’”

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Erwin said, “Jenkins pulled it off. It’s a fantastic movie.” Erwin then brought attention to the film’s premiere, which took place in the middle of a busy shopping center in Los Angeles and featured family activities and Christmas songs. Erwin indicated that the event was doing exactly what Jenkins had hoped for: making Jesus the center of it all.

“We, as Christians, can make a statement with this film,” Erwin explained. He said that in a “world that’s filled with fear and so much division, I think there’s a longing to get back to things that are an invitation to people into what we believe. And I think that the church needs to get reconnected with evangelism.”

“So this story is about the kids that have been labeled as the bad kids in this community, that the church has labeled not redeemable,” he continued. “And in the process of them becoming part of this pageant play, God just gives an opportunity for them to give a window into Christmas that everybody had forgotten the story they were really telling.”

“And I just think that plays right now in the church. So I desire to see the church invite their friends and family, go have a great laugh, and to celebrate Christmas early, but use it as an opportunity to start conversations,” Erwin added.

RELATED: ‘Crying So Hard’—Dallas Jenkins Shares What Inspired Him To Make ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’

Producer Kevin Downes, who is co-founder and chief executive officer of Kingdom Story Company, told ChurchLeaders that it was a “dream” to be able to bring “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” to the silver screen.