Saying they want to impact a new generation of men for Christ, the filmmakers behind the faith-based film Courageoussaid this week they will re-release the hit movie in theaters next year with new scenes, a new ending and an update on what happened to the lead characters.
Film directors Alex and Stephen Kendrick made the announcement Sunday at their home congregation, Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga.
Courageous was a surprise hit in 2011 when it opened in the Top 4 at the box office and ended its run with a worldwide gross of $35 million. The story follows a group of male police officers who are striving to become better fathers.
“The issues ... facing men 10 years ago are certainly as applicable today,” Alex Kendrick told the church.
His brother, Stephen, said the goal is to “reach a new generation of men, but yet it be a better version” of the movie.
The new version of Courageous will include never-released scenes that didn’t make it into the theatrical film. It also will include a new ending that shows the lead characters a decade after the events of 2011.
“The new ending shows what happened to these characters and their families 10 years later – because we're 10 years older,” Alex Kendrick said. “Two weeks ago, we assembled the cast and crew here in Albany at the church, and we shot new scenes around Albany. So you can see what happened to these fathers and their families, 10 years later. And there are some surprises. And I think you'll be delighted when you see what became of some of these characters, how they face some hurdles and how they are encouraging each other to keep walking with the Lord. And so, hopefully you'll gasp a couple of times.”
Further, the new version will include a few drone shots.
“We didn't even have drones 10 years ago, and now we have drones,” Alex Kendrick said.” So we have quietly been going around Albany filming drone shots of downtown in different areas of Albany that are now inserted into the movie. It looks more epic. We love that.”
The new film has a “tighter edit,” Alex Kendrick said, but “nothing you love is going to be taken out.”
“The power of the film is still there, but to see this new ending is going to be exciting for us, and hopefully minister to an entire generation,” he said.
The film has impacted men around the world, Stephen Kendrick said.
“There were hundreds of police officers in Ecuador and Panama that were hearing the gospel, going to the theaters to see this film,” Stephen Kendrick said. “... We've heard stories from men coming to Christ in Russia. When my wife and I were adopting in China, there was a girl in Guangzhou, China, saying Courageous had impacted her. … God continues to use this film.”
Photo courtesy: ©Sony
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
