LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A movie headed for more than 2,000 theaters later this month has an executive producer from Louisville, and he's hoping the film will help spur a revolution like one in America more than 50 years ago.
In the film, "Jesus Revolution," Actor Kelsey Grammar, of "Cheers" and "Frasier," plays Pastor Chuck Smith, who started with 25 members in his church in the mid 60s and then, grudgingly, invited in a hippie evangelist.
The trailer for the movie focuses on the pastor's disdain for the people joining his flock. "These people are hippies. Rebels against old fashioned authority. I think these kids need ... help. What they need is a bath."
In the movie, those "rebels" keep coming by the thousands, and a few years later, it caught the attention of national media.
"Time magazine. Jesus was on the cover of Time magazine at one point, and they dubbed it 'The Jesus Revolution' that kinda swept the nation in the mid 60s and early 70s," said the movie's executive producer, Tony Young.
A scene from "Jesus Revolution." Image courtesy Kingdom Story. Feb. 3, 2023
That magazine cover inspired "Kingdom Story," the movie produced by the Louisville company Young helped create five years ago. It produced the box office surprise hit, "I Can Only Imagine."
Grammar said the script about faith came to him at a moment that answered one of his prayers.
"I wanted to do something that meant something. Almost in despair about doing something of value. Does it matter? Then this script was delivered to me the next day, and okay, here we go," Grammar said.
It took Kingdom Story putting its money where its faith is to get Grammar and make a big production like "Jesus Revolution."
"About $12 million to make the movie and then we spend about roughly that amount in marketing it, so it takes quite a bit to make the money back on these films," Young said.
Hopes are it can be a box office success but have an impact long after the credits roll.
"This message here really stirred the church back in the mid 60s and early 70s, and our hope and prayer is that it'll do the same and create a revival across our country today," Young said.
The pastor shares the same sentiment in the film. "I hope people are tearful and joyful all at the same time and maybe inspired to rediscover their own faith."
Chuck Smith's church eventually grew to 35,000 members in Southern California and spawned more than a thousand churches.
"Jesus Revolution" opens in theaters Feb. 24, but there's a special screening Saturday, Feb. 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Northeast Christian Church at 9900 Brownsboro Road in Louisville. It's free, but you must RSVP by clicking here. The seating is first come, first served.
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