Highest-Grossing Christian Movies of All Time: Top 15

The biggest Christian movie ever at the North American box office is still The Passion of the Christ, with $370.3 million in the US and Canada after its 2004 release. Next come the first Chronicles of Narnia film ($291.7 million) and Sound of Freedom ($184.2 million). The newest name in the top ten is Angel's animated David, which opened in December 2025 and finished on $80.4 million, the best result for a faith film since 2023.

Those numbers come from Box Office Mojo's "Christian Theme" keyword list, the most widely used public chart for this question. Below is the top 15, what the list does and does not measure, the patterns behind the hits, and the two big releases that could reshuffle the ranking in 2027.

The top 15 Christian movies at the domestic box office

Lifetime gross in the US and Canada, as listed by Box Office Mojo under its Christian Theme keyword (checked October 25, 2026). Figures are not adjusted for inflation.

1. The Passion of the Christ (2004, Newmarket Films): $370.3 million. Opened to $83.8 million.
2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005, Disney): $291.7 million.
3. Sound of Freedom (2023, Angel): $184.2 million.
4. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008, Disney): $141.6 million.
5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010, 20th Century Fox): $104.4 million.
6. Heaven Is for Real (2014, TriStar): $91.4 million.
7. I Can Only Imagine (2018, Roadside Attractions): $83.5 million.
8. David (2025, Angel): $80.4 million.
9. War Room (2015, TriStar): $67.8 million.
10. Miracles from Heaven (2016, TriStar): $61.7 million.
11. God's Not Dead (2014, Freestyle Releasing): $60.8 million.
12. The King of Kings (2025, Angel): $60.3 million.
13. Son of God (2014, 20th Century Fox): $59.7 million.
14. The Shack (2017, Lionsgate): $57.4 million.
15. Jesus Revolution (2023, Lionsgate): $52.1 million.

How this chart works (and what it leaves out)

Like any chart, this ranking is only as useful as its rules. Four things are worth knowing before you quote it.

• It is domestic only. "Lifetime gross" here means ticket sales in the US and Canada. Worldwide totals can be very different: David, for example, added about $10.7 million internationally for roughly $91.1 million worldwide.
• It is not adjusted for inflation. The 1953 Bible epic The Robe sits at $36 million on the list, which badly understates how big it was in its day. Recent films also get a lift simply from higher ticket prices.
• It depends on a keyword tag. A film is on the list because Box Office Mojo has tagged it "Christian Theme". That is why the Narnia films and Sound of Freedom appear next to Bible stories and church dramas, and why some faith-friendly films are missing. Treat it as a strong guide, not an official definition of a Christian movie.
• It counts theatre tickets, not streaming. A series released to cinemas for a few nights, or a film that goes straight to streaming, can reach far more viewers without ever ranking high here.

The same caution applies to music charts: a ranking always reflects its data source and its rules. Our explainer on how Billboard's Hot Christian Songs chart works walks through the same questions for songs.

What the biggest Christian hits have in common

A story audiences already know

Four of the top 15 retell the Bible directly: The Passion of the Christ, Son of God, The King of Kings and David. Three more are Narnia films, built on C.S. Lewis's Christian allegory. A familiar story is easy to explain to a church group, and it gives families a reason to go together.

True stories with a personal hook

Heaven Is for Real, Miracles from Heaven, I Can Only Imagine and Jesus Revolution are all based on real people. I Can Only Imagine, the story behind MercyMe's song, is the clearest example of what a well-known true story can do. It opened to $17.1 million in only 1,629 theatres in March 2018, far above expectations, and ran to $83.5 million.

Church groups and long runs

Faith films rarely open as big as studio blockbusters, but the best of them hold well week after week as churches book group outings. War Room opened to $11.4 million in 1,135 theatres and finished on $67.8 million. God's Not Dead opened to $9.2 million in just 780 theatres and reached $60.8 million. The Kendrick brothers' Fireproof (2008) made $33.5 million while never playing in more than 905 theatres.

New distribution models

Angel (Angel Studios) now has three of the top 12: Sound of Freedom, The King of Kings and David. Its releases are chosen with input from a paying member community, the Angel Guild, which also helps promote them. Whatever you think of the model, the results show up clearly on the chart.

Recent results: 2024 to 2026

The last two years show how uneven this market can be.

• David (December 2025) opened to $22.0 million in 3,118 theatres, the biggest opening for any film on the list since 2014, and finished on $80.4 million.
• The King of Kings (April 2025), an animated film based on Charles Dickens's telling of the life of Jesus, opened to $19.4 million and reached $60.3 million.
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (November 2024) took $40.0 million, and The Forge (August 2024) took $29.1 million.
• Homestead ($20.8 million), Unsung Hero ($20.3 million), Cabrini ($19.5 million) and Ordinary Angels ($19.2 million) all landed around the $20 million mark in 2024.
• Sarah's Oil (November 2025, Amazon MGM Studios) made $11.7 million.
• I Can Only Imagine 2 (February 2026) is the cautionary tale. It opened wider than the original, in 3,105 theatres, but took $7.75 million in its first weekend and finished on $18.6 million in the US and Canada, against a reported $18 million budget. The 2018 original made more than four times as much.

The lesson in the numbers: a sequel or a famous brand helps, but the films that climb this list are the ones church audiences recommend to each other for weeks after opening.

What could change the ranking next

Two 2027 releases have a realistic chance of moving into the upper half of the list.

• Narnia: The Magician's Nephew, Greta Gerwig's Netflix adaptation of C.S. Lewis, moved from a Thanksgiving 2026 IMAX plan to a wide theatrical release on February 12, 2027, with IMAX sneak previews from February 10, before it reaches Netflix on April 2, 2027. The three earlier Narnia films already sit at #2, #4 and #5.
• The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One, Mel Gibson's follow-up to The Passion of the Christ, is dated for May 6, 2027 (Ascension Day) by Lionsgate. It is the most direct challenger to the #1 spot the genre has had in two decades.

Whether either one counts on this particular chart will depend on how Box Office Mojo tags it, which is one more reason to read rankings with their rules in mind.

How to check a film's box office yourself

1. Search the title on Box Office Mojo or The Numbers. The title page shows the opening weekend, the widest release (most theatres) and domestic, international and worldwide totals.
2. Remember that weekend figures published on Sunday are studio estimates. Actual numbers usually follow on Monday and can move up or down.
3. Compare like with like: opening weekend against the number of theatres, and lifetime gross against the budget where it is reported.

Awards are another way to see which faith films connect with audiences. Our guide to the main gospel and Christian music awards explains how the Dove and K-LOVE Fan Awards also honour films, and the 2026 Dove Award winners list has this year's results.

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest-grossing Christian movie of all time?

The Passion of the Christ (2004). It earned $370.3 million in the US and Canada, more than any other film on Box Office Mojo's Christian Theme list.

What is the most successful Christian movie of the 2020s?

Sound of Freedom (2023) at $184.2 million domestic, if you count it as a Christian film as Box Office Mojo does. Among Bible stories, David (2025) leads with $80.4 million.

How much did I Can Only Imagine 2 make?

About $18.6 million in the US and Canada and $18.7 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, compared with $83.5 million domestic for the 2018 original.

Are these box office numbers adjusted for inflation?

No. They are the actual ticket sales recorded at the time, so older films such as The Robe (1953) look much smaller than they really were.

More rankings and explainers are on the ChristianRanks blog.

Sources: Box Office Mojo, Genre Keyword: Christian Theme, I Can Only Imagine 2 and David; Variety, Greta Gerwig's Narnia moves to 2027 (May 1, 2026); IMDb, The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One. Checked October 25, 2026.