Sound of Freedom has been a surprise box office hit this summer, as many analysts were shocked when it outperformed big ticket blockbuster flicks in the US. Amid Barbie and Oppenheimer's dominant opening weekends, it domestically surpassed Mission: Impossible 7 and has done ultimately done so twice. The film has stirred up some controversy, however, as it's been argued that its messaging aligns with sentiments shared by right-wing activist groups. Its approach to the topic of child trafficking has also been heavily disputed. Now, the production is attracting more negative attention after one of its backers was arrested for alleged child kidnapping. The head honcho of Angel Studios, the company behind the movie, has since spoken out about the situation.
The investor in question who was charged is Missouri resident Fabian Marta. The 51-year-old man was one of thousands of people who helped back the movie but was not specifically considered a financier on the production, per Deadline. Neal Harmon, the CEO of Angel Studios addressed the situation by way of a statement that was shared with the trade. While sharing his thoughts, the exec provided some insight into the regulations involving investments from individuals such as Marta:
Angel Studios adhered to the requirements of federal and state laws and regulations in allowing 6,678 people to invest an average of $501 each into the launch of Sound of Freedom. Just as anyone can invest in the stock market, everyone who meets the legal criteria can invest in Angel Studios projects. One of the perks of investing was the ability to be listed in the credits.
These sentiments convey the point that those who contributed to the money campaign for the film are not officially associated with the company. Sound of Freedom was crowdfunded, therefore anyone could contribute, and anyone who did was awarded an acknowledgement in the credits. Crowdfunding is a popular way to back independent films, like 2018's Star Citizen and even 2014's Veronica Mars, which broke kickstarter records. The amount of cash that Fabian Marta contributed to the recently released feature is unknown. His Facebook post about contributing to the film's crowdfunding efforts has since been taken down. Deadline also notes that child kidnapping -- which was the alleged crime committed by the individual -- and child trafficking -- which is depicted in the film -- are two distinct crimes.
Up to this point, the Jim Caviezel-led movie has been accused of pandering to QAnon-related conspiracy theories and right-wing rhetoric. Amidst that, the movie has continued to be successful, earning more than $160 million at the box office. While that may not match the gargantuan totals of bigger box office draws like the "Barbenheimer" double feature, that sum is still significant. Founded in 2021, Angel Studios has seemingly carved out a niche for itself by appealing to a religious-based audiences. It also produced the popular Christian film Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers.
Whether or not Angel Studios, will change its crowdfunding policies in the wake of the investors' arrest is unknown. It also remains to be seen just what might happen with Fabian Marta's case moving forward. At present, however, Neal Harmon's statement seems to indicate that the entertainment company will seek to distance itself from this particular situation moving forward.
Sound of Freedom is still playing in theaters and continues its lucrative box office run. For more information on other films heading to cinemas later this year, check out our schedule of 2023 new movie releases.
