The makers of the surprise hit Fireproof will produce a film about fatherhood as their follow-up to the top independent movie release of 2008.
Officials for Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga.—where Fireproof and their earlier films were created—made the announcement during Sunday night’s church service, which drew Christian media members who were flown in for the event.
“The title is one word: Courageous,” said Fireproof Director Alex Kendrick, who will also direct the new film. “[It’s about] four fathers who are all in law enforcement—who protect and serve together—[and] go through a terrible tragedy. They begin looking at their role as fathers … and they begin challenging one another to fulfill God’s intention for fathers.”
The film will show the benefits and consequences of the choices the fathers make. “Courageous will include drama, action and humor, but we will maintain our standard of keeping all dialogue honoring to God,” Kendrick told Charisma.
Fireproof Producer Stephen Kendrick, who will also co-write and produce Courageous with his brother, said: “We believe God is calling us as a church family and through movies to call men to rise up to spiritual leadership in their homes.”
Filming is scheduled to begin in spring 2010 in Albany, Ga., with a tentative theatrical release date of early 2011. Courageous will be marketed by Provident Films and Affirm Films, the faith label of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Boosted by grass-roots support and bulk ticket purchases from churchgoers as well as some Christian retailers, Fireproof made $33.3 million at the box office, despite a modest $500,000 budget. The movie, which stars Kirk Cameron as a firefighter who turns to God to save his marriage, has been a top-selling DVD at Christian retail since it was released Jan. 27.
Meanwhile, Stephen and Alex Kendrick’s The Love Dare—an integral part of Fireproof—still appears on the New York Times best-seller list a year after its release. It has sold more than 3 million copies and is available in 22 languages.
Alex Kendrick said that God has given them an idea for a book companion for Courageous, much like The Love Dare for Fireproof. “But the horse has to stay before the cart,” he said. “So we’re going in the direction of the movie first.”
The budget for Courageous has not yet been determined, although Alex Kendrick said earlier this year at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention that the film would have an expected budget of $2.5 million—five times larger than with Fireproof.
Click here for more information on Courageous.
