Studio behind 'Sound of Freedom' to release post-apocalyptic film, TV series 'Homestead'

By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Assistant Editor Monday, January 08, 2024

Angel Studios, the studio behind the surprise hit “Sound of Freedom,” has announced the completion of its latest project, "Homestead,” adapted from the post-apocalyptic book series Black Autumn, written by Jeff Kirkham and Jason Ross.

"Homestead” narrates the story of two contrasting families in a collapsing civilization: a well-prepared, affluent family and a military veteran family hired for security. Set against a backdrop of escalating violence, the plot explores themes of divine intervention amid human conflict.

“I’m always a fan first when it comes to Angel films,” said Jeffrey Harmon, co-founder of Angel Studios, in a statement shared with The Christian Post. “I’m excited to see a hope-filled, family apocalypse story hit the screens — because isn’t God always doing something incredible, even during tough times? 'Homestead' goes on a wild ride through the crash of civilization, only to reveal that family, community and love are the ultimate survival advantage. I can’t wait to watch the movie and the TV show.”

Set to debut as a feature film in 2024, "Homestead" will subsequently transition into a television series. The project boasts a star-studded cast, including Neal McDonough ("Minority Report," "Band of Brothers"), Bailey Chase ("Longmire," "S.W.A.T.," "24: Legacy"), Dawn Olivieri ("1883," "House of Lies"), and Jesse Hutch ("Batwoman"), among others.

“Homestead” hits the big screen after raising more than $1.25 million from nearly 3,000 investors, dubbed the “Angel Guild.”

The series is led by showrunners Jason Ross and Ben Kasica, with Ben Smallbone directing the film. Ben Kasica and Andrea Royer serve as producers. The production is a collaborative effort involving Angel Studios, 10ton, Skies Fall Entertainment, 2521 and Radiate Pictures.

With 10 books in the series, Black Autumn has sold over 300,000 copies, according to Kirkham’s website. Kirkham and Ross have been ranked No. 1 bestselling authors in science fiction, military thrillers and post-apocalyptic science fiction.

“Homestead” follows the success of Angel Studios’ “Sound of Freedom,” which earned its place among the top 10 highest-grossing movies of 2023, outperforming big-budget features like “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” The film grossed $184,178,046 in the nearly six months following its July 4, 2023, release in up to 3,411 United States movie theaters. The film also received an A+ CinemaScore, an 85% critics score and a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Sound of Freedom” tells the story of former government agent Tim Ballard, who quit his job to rescue a child from sex traffickers in the Colombian jungle. He ended up rescuing more than 123 individuals, including 55 children, from the modern form of slavery. The film stars actor Jim Caviezel of “Passion of the Christ” fame, who declares in the film, “God’s children are not for sale.”

Founded in 2021 by Neal and Jeff Harmon, Angel Studios is a Utah-based media company that specializes in crowdfunding original films and TV series that "amplify light." In recent years, the studio has found success with “The Chosen,” a multi-season fictional series about the life of Jesus.

In mid-May, the show signed a distribution deal with Lionsgate, the major film distributor behind “Jesus Revolution.”

Watch the trailer for "Homestead" below.