Screengrab via YouTube/Angel Studios
Disney’s questionable choices have caused it to miss out on the success of films that have been picked up by competitors and become box office hits. One such film is “Nimona,” which found success on Netflix after Disney refused to release it following its acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Another example is “Sound of Freedom,” a film that Disney also refused to release but has already earned $10 million in presales, with predictions that it could earn up to $20 million in its first week. This success is noteworthy for a film not backed by a major studio.
However, in the case of “Sound of Freedom,” Disney may have had a valid reason for backing out of the project.
Alejandro Monteverde directed “Sound of Freedom,” which stars Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino, Eduardo Verastegui (who is also the producer), and Bill Camp. The film was completed in 2018 and was supposed to be distributed by 21st Century Fox. However, after Disney acquired the studio, they chose to shelve the film. Attempts were made to obtain the rights from Disney, but it took a year before they were released. Then, just as the film was preparing for theatrical release, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, causing another three years of delay.
According to Neal Harmon, CEO and co-founder of Angel Studios, the film’s new distributor, Disney not only refused to release “Sound of Freedom,” but also held onto it for a year while the producer tried to regain its rights.
“Initially made with [21st Century] Fox. After it was completed, Fox was acquired by Disney, who said, ‘We can’t release this film.’ Eduardo spent over a year before [Disney] released the rights to the film. At that time, he tried to take it to theaters, but just as they were, COVID hit, and another three years passed.”
But did Disney really make a mistake in dropping “Sound of Freedom”?
The decision to shelve “Sound of Freedom” may have been influenced by controversies surrounding the authenticity of its source material and the star of the film, Jim Caviezel. Caviezel has been promoting the film, as well as the anti-trafficking organization Operation Underground Railroad, which has faced criticism and accusations of faking evidence and statistics. Additionally, Caviezel’s interviews with alt-right figures and his promotion of the QAnon conspiracy theory raise concerns.
If “Sound of Freedom” proves to be a financial success, it will be yet another victory missed by Disney in an attempt to avoid potential PR issues.
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