Trailer for the Film A GREAT AWAKENING About Benjamin Franklin and Reverend George Whitefield
The studio Roadside Attractions has acquired the rights to Sight & Sound’s second movie, A Great Awakening, and they’ve set a theatrical release for April 3, 2026, Easter weekend. The film’s release is also timed to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The news comes in the wake of the faith-based entertainment company’s theatrical release of Noah, which opened to $1.5M at the Sept. 18-20 box office, landing in the top 10.
A Great Awakening follows the unlikely friendship between the Reverend George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin. “With the colonies on the brink of collapse, the Reverend George Whitefield ignites the first Great Awakening, uniting an entire generation with his thundering and faithful sermons and proclamations of liberty.
“In a miraculous turn of events, one of Whitefield’s closest friends and greatest promoters becomes none other than Benjamin Franklin. With the nation’s freedom hanging in the balance, the founders discover true liberty cannot only be written into law – it must be awakened in the hearts of the people.”
Joshua Enck, President of Sight & Sound and director of A Great Awakening, said of the film, “Our mission is to bring powerful stories of redemption to life on stage and screen, and this film highlights a profound event in our nation’s history that united a generation with the belief that faith and liberty are undoubtably intertwined. Partnering with Roadside Attractions for a 2026 cinematic release allows us to share this timely message amid America’s 250th year, when the topic of liberty will be at the forefront of conversation.”
Sight & Sound’s first feature film, I Heard the Bells, was released via Fathom Entertainment in 2022. Originally scheduled to be only a four-day theatrical event, the release was extended to eight weeks with additional locations added due to high demand, ultimately grossing $5.6M.
Roadside Attractions has soared in the faith-based sector before with 2018’s I Can Only Imagine, which grossed north of $83M at the domestic box office after a $17.1M weekend debut.
A Great Awakening seems like a movie you might watch in school or on a field trip to a historical site. It’s cheesy and the acting is over the top, but it also seems like a feel good watch with a tiny bit of history thrown in. Check out the trailer below, and watch A Great Awakening in theaters next Easter.