The new faith-centric movie about Phil and Kay Robertson has stunned box office experts over the weekend by opening in the top five even though it played in far fewer theaters than its counterparts.
The Blind (PG-13), which follows the backstory of the famous couple’s early years, grossed $5.1 million, placing it No. 4 on opening weekend and trailing only PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie ($22.7 million), Saw X ($18.3 million) and The Creator ($14 million). The Blind opened in 1,715 theaters, while all three movies ahead of it played in roughly half that number. (The Creator, for example, opened in 3,680 theaters.)
The movie is set in the early days of their marriage, long before the fame of Duck Dynasty. The plot shows how Phil battled alcoholism and anger before finding Christ. At one point in the film, they separated.
“I have been blown away,” Zach Dasher, one of the film’s producers and a nephew of Phil Robertson, said Monday on a new edition of the Unashamed podcast, referencing the opening numbers. “I've been crying all weekend. … There's been some just powerful, powerful moves of God.”
One of those moves of God took place on the campus of the University of Mount Olive (N.C.), where students were given a special screening of the film thanks to the support of Hwy 55 CEO Kenny Moore and his wife, Karen.
Moore was baptized by Phil Robertson in 2020.
After the film, 11 students accepted Christ, and 30 students chose to be baptized in an outdoor baptistry at the University of Mount Olive.
Students worshiped until nearly midnight, according to a university news release.
“I’m speechless about what took place,” said campus pastor Matt Sharp. “I’m so excited this morning that if you see me jumping for joy on campus today, you will know why! I’m here to say God is up to something at UMO!”
The film has an audience score of 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Related:
Phil Robertson's Journey from Anger and Alcoholism to Christ Retold in The Blind
Photo Courtesy: ©Fathom
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.
