Alex and Stephen Kendrick—who helped pioneer the rise of popular faith-based films—are set to release WAR ROOM which was filmed in Charlotte last summer.
The Kendricks launched their film careers with FLYWHEEL in 2003. Intending only for a single showing at their church, they were surprised by demands for additional screenings and then extensive DVD sales. A theatrical release—FACING THE GIANTS—followed in 2006. And then, in 2008 the brothers shocked the film industry with FIREPROOF, a faith film that took in $33.4 million at the box office and was the No. 1 independent film of the year.
With COURAGEOUS in 2011—their fourth film— earned $34.5 million at the domestic box office and became the No. 1 selling DVD in the United States.
In 2013, with the blessing and support of the Sherwood family, the brothers stepped out beyond Sherwood Pictures, the movie ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church, to establish Kendrick Brothers Productions. “Sherwood is still our church home, and we’re here talking to you now only because Michael Catt, our pastor, took a risk, supported us and let us make a movie,” said Director and Co-Writer Alex Kendrick.
Each Kendrick Brothers film explores a subject deeply important to Christians and the Christian life: personal integrity in FLYWHEEL, resilient faith in FACING THE GIANTS, loving marriages in FIREPROOF and heroic parenting in COURAGEOUS.
In War Room, the subject is the need for families to have a commitment to and strategy for prayer. A family-friendly drama, the film is about learning to fight the right kinds of battles. Filled with humor, wit and heart, it follows Tony and Elizabeth Jordan, a middle-class couple, and their daughter, Danielle, as they struggle through personal, marital and spiritual issues. Their lives are forever changed after Elizabeth meets an elderly widow who helps her develop a secret prayer room in her home.
This film’s focus on prayer strategically highlights a subject of interest to a majority of Americans. According to a National Opinion Research Center survey on frequency of prayer, nearly 90 percent of Americans claim to pray regularly. Some 60 percent say they pray at least once a day, for Christians that number grows to 84 percent, according to a U.S. News and Beliefnet online poll. Almost 80 percent of American Christians say they pray most often at home.
“We made this film to inspire, challenge and motivate families to fight the right kind of battles and to fight them the best way possible,” said Alex Kendrick. “We have plans for everything—careers, finances, health, but what about a strategy for prayer for our lives, our spouses and our children?”
“We’ve seen the power of prayer clearly at work in our personal lives and on every movie so far. We’ve seen God provide unique storylines, production funding, locations, uniquely prepared cast and crew, an international distribution pipeline, and a world-wide outreach in direct response to prayer,” said Producer and Co-Writer Steven Kendrick, “We give God the Glory for all of these blessings!”
“We found a beautiful house on Grove Avenue in historic downtown Concord,” said locations manager and owner of Charlotte-based redFONT Marketing Group Jim Quick, “It had been on the market for almost a year without a single offer. The art department fully furnished it, and we prayed God would bless the homeowners. The day after we wrapped that location, the house sold.”