Churches Major Component in Next 'Left Behind' Film Release
by Rebecca Grace and Allie Martin
October 3, 2005
(AgapePress) - Later this month, churches have a chance to send a message to Hollywood, according to Andre Van Heerden, producer and co-writer of the third installment in the "Left Behind" movie series."We thought instead of us going to Hollywood, how about we take Hollywood to church?" Van Heerden explains. Therefore, Left Behind: World at War is set to open October 21 in churches -- not theaters -- throughout the nation.
Visit the official Left Behind: World at War website
"We looked at the different projection systems in many different churches across North America, and realized with all the new technology, these churches have great projection systems, they have good sound -- and there are thousands and thousands and thousands of them," Van Heerden says.
Officials with Cloud Ten Pictures, the Canadian company that produced the movie, says a release through churches could translate to an opening day of 3,000+ screens -- more than enough to be considered a wide release by Hollywood standards.
"We can actually open wider than any big budget Hollywood movie. We're talking wider than Steven Speilberg's War of the Worlds," Van Heerden adds. "That would be a release of just over 3,000 screens -- we're well on target to having more screens than that."
"[By doing this] we would [also] send a message back to Hollywood that there is a Christian community out there," says actor Kirk Cameron, who returns in the role of Buck Williams.
"[At the same time], this gives churches ... an opportunity to host a community event while providing an outreach opportunity for a great movie based on a phenomenal book .... ," Cameron adds. "Inviting people to a movie is an easy thing to do, and it [can] turn into a great springboard for people to share Christ."
Van Heerden also believes the new release strategy for opening day means greater distribution.
Churches will pay a one-time licensing fee to show the movie in DVD format as many times as they want during the designated weekend of October 21-23. The fee for each church is based on a sliding scale according to the church's size and can be found, along with more information, at the movie's website.
Action-packed and full of special effects, the movie is based on the best-selling books Left Behind and Tribulation Force and continues following the lives of Buck Williams and fellow believers who were left behind on Earth after the rapture of the Church. They do all they can to bring others to Christ despite being tormented by the powerful anti-Christ and his followers. This time their mission is to find and deliver an antidote for a virus outbreak that is claiming lives by the minute, while caring for those already caught in the snare of death. Meanwhile, the anti-Christ is doing everything he can to take complete control of the earth.
Left Behind: World at War stars Cameron, Chelsea Noble, Brad Johnson, Janaya Stephens and Gordon Currie. This time the original cast is joined by Academy Award winner Lou Gossett, Jr., in the role of U.S. President Gerald Fitzhugh.
The movie will be released for purchase on DVD October 25.
