The highly anticipated biblical epic, Zero A.D., is emerging as the unofficial successor to the unexpected 2023 blockbuster, Sound of Freedom. Under the direction of acclaimed Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Monteverde, Sound of Freedom achieved remarkable success, ranking as the 32nd highest-grossing film of the year with a global box office tally nearing $250.6 million. The gripping narrative follows the harrowing journey of Jim Caviezel’s character, Tim Ballard, a government agent dedicated to unearthing a child sex trafficking ring in Colombia. Currently, this captivating film is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Though Sound of Freedom garnered a middling Rotten Tomatoes score of 57% and a Metascore of 36, it received an impressive 99% on the audience-centric Popcornmeter. Remarkably, the film amassed financial success and a dedicated fanbase despite its lukewarm critical reception. This phenomenon demonstrates how audience engagement can sometimes prevail over critical acclaim. With the original crew behind Sound of Freedom reuniting for Zero A.D., fans are eager to see if this new project can achieve similar or even greater success.
Zero A.D.: Reuniting the Successful Team Behind Sound of Freedom
Ambitious Goals: Zero A.D. Aims to Surpass Sound of Freedom‘s Box Office Achievement
Zero A.D. is positioned as one of several upcoming feature films from Angel Studios, the same production company that brought Sound of Freedom to life in collaboration with Sante Fe Films. Following the success of Sound of Freedom, Angel Studios has ventured into several additional projects, including After Death, Homestead, and Brave the Dark. While Sound of Freedom remains Angel Studios’ most successful project to date, the promising cast and narrative of Zero A.D. could potentially eclipse that achievement.
Jim Caviezel returns for an undisclosed role in Zero A.D., sharing the screen with well-known actors such as Sam Worthington (of Avatar fame), Ben Mendelsohn (known for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), and Gael Garcia Bernal (from Mozart in the Jungle). Monteverde is once again at the helm following the relatively modest box office performance of 2024’s Cabrini, which garnered $20.5 million against a $50 million budget. The screenplay for Zero A.D. sees the return of Sound of Freedom screenwriter Rod Barr, collaborating with Monteverde and Leo Severino.
Can Zero A.D. Capture the Success of Sound of Freedom?
Strategic Launch: A Strong Opportunity with Its Christmas Release
Thanks to the return of key figures including the director, screenwriters, and lead actor Jim Caviezel, Zero A.D. appears poised to either replicate or surpass the box office performance of Sound of Freedom. While specifics on the production budget for Zero A.D. have yet to be disclosed, the film stands to benefit significantly from its release during the holiday season, just before Christmas Day. This timing is likely to attract larger audiences, particularly considering it may avoid the controversies that surrounded its predecessor.
Looking back at the commercial success of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, which featured Caviezel portraying Jesus, it’s evident that biblical epics have a strong potential for commercial success. Even with potential competition from other major releases such as Avatar 3, analysts speculate that Zero A.D. could emerge as one of the standout films of 2025.