Analysis by WorldTribune Staff, July 6, 2026 Non-AI Real World News
Perhaps the best gauge of just how good Angel Studios’ “Young Washington” is comes from the critic vs. audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.
Film critics, who tend to skew left and look down on America’s faithful, gave the faith-based film a score of 58%. Audiences gave it 94%.
William Franklyn-Miller as Young Washington
At the box office, Young Washington far exceeded expectations.
The film, which had production costs of estimated at $25 million, grossed more than $20.8 million during its opening weekend, finishing second behind Minions & Monsters, the latest from the wildly popular Despicable Me franchise.
On Saturday, the Fourth of July, Young Washington grossed $7.65 million while playing in 2,700 theaters. It beat out Toy Story 5 ($7.5 million in 3,975 theaters), Supergirl ($2.5 million in 3,602 theaters), and Disclosure Day ($1.8 million in 2,702 theaters).
“That is a remarkable accomplishment for Angel Studios,” Breitbart’s John Nolte noted.
Angel Studios also brought America the faith-based 2023 thriller Sound of Freedom, which opened to $19.7 million and went on to gross $184 million, becoming one of the biggest box office hits of the year on a reported budget of $16 million.
The new film focuses on George Washington’s early military career and features strong themes of divine providence. It features characters (like his mother, Mary Washington) frequently discussing God’s plan.
“Thanks to the success of Young Washington, which also earned an A on CinemaScore (indicating positive word of mouth), director and co-writer John Erwin announced that 1776, a sequel, is already in the works,” Nolte noted.
“What that really means (at least to me) is that Angel Studios is preparing to franchise Young Washington into a reasonably-budgeted, multi-part look at America’s founding. And why not? Hollywood refuses to cater to a wide-open market of Normal People eager to see inspirational and faith-based true stories. Best of all, Angels Studios does it at a price that ensures little financial risk.”
Young Washington attracted top actors such as Kelsey Grammer, Mary Louise Parker, Andy Serkis, and Oscar-winning Ben Kingsley.
“Don’t be surprised to see more big names as Angel Studios continues to branch out and find an audience,” Nolte wrote.
“It took a little longer than some of us would have liked, but at long last, an alternative to Hollywood is rising, and those behind it know their craft.”
