As of today, the new movie FIREPROOF is playing in 905 theaters across the nation, including 100 new venues. For a movie made by a church, the results are amazing. Each week since it opened in late September, it has played in more theaters than the previous week. Many secular Hollywood productions cannot report the same.

Some interesting facts

1. When “Fireproof” was released on September 26, it left movie-industry experts astounded as it opened with the second-highest per-screen average of films and a No. 4 position overall.
2. For three weeks running, “Fireproof” has been one of the Top 10 movies in the country.
3. On beginning of its third week in theaters, “Fireproof” once again finished in the top 10. And that’s on a week that had four big-budget Hollywood films each opening in more than 2,000 theaters and 17 movies playing in more theaters than the 875 that “Fireproof” was playing in.
4. “Fireproof” finished last week with the fourth-highest per-screen average of the top-10 films.
5. Last week, “Fireproof” was reportedly the No. 3 film on Fandango.
6. Moviegoers also reported screens being sold out in theaters where the movie has been playing since late September.
7. According to the producers (Sherwood Pictures and Provident Films), in three weeks at theaters, more than 2.2 million people have seen it.
8. The film is highly recommended by all Christian movie critics that we have read, including our own Christian Spotlight™ [read review]. The story is God-honoring and has the right combination of elements to strongly impact individuals and couples.
9. High ticket sales for a relatively low budget film—CNN reports that…
   

   “The movie, which has a strong faith-based message and was made with a budget of just $500,000 and a volunteer cast that includes former teen idol Kirk Cameron, has been surprisingly successful. …it has earned an estimated $13.6 million…”

10. In the first 10 days in theaters, “Fireproof” surpassed what “Facing the Giants” did in four months.
11. The Love Dare, originally merely a prop and plot device in the film, has now been published and become the No. 1 bestseller on the New York Times list of paperback advice books and is currently among the 3 top bestselling books on Amazon.com.
12. The producers report that the movie is making an impact on marriages. As one woman viewer reported,
    

    “This movie totally hit home. …We were both pretty much giving up on each other. My mother called and told me about the movie. I was going to the movie alone. I believe God intervened and had Rob come home early that day from work.

    …Throughout the movie, I would hear him whisper, ‘that’s us on that screen.’ We waited for all to leave the theater. Rob held me tight, crying and thanking me for taking him to see this wonderful movie. We are a changed couple. We are more respectful and loving towards one another. It truly feels wonderful being in love with someone God has specifically chosen for me!”

    A male viewer reported…

    “My wife of 13 years had handed me divorce papers on the Monday evening before the movie came out. The script for the movie could have been written about us. We are both good people, we were just not being good to each other. I got a call from a friend on Saturday insisting that my wife and I go see this movie. I was afraid to even ask her, but I did. We went to the afternoon movie on Sunday.

    Wow … it was us on the screen. We went home and talked about a lot of things and both said that we were sorry. We decided to stay together, to start going to church together again, and to treat each other the way we should have been all along. My wife called her lawyer on Monday and told him that she didn’t want a divorce and I did the same. We ordered The Love Dare book for both of us on Tuesday, and the marriage kit as well. Thank you so much for showing us that we aren’t the only couple with the problems that these people had and for giving us a new direction to go in. I love my wife and am looking forward to our new life together!”

     

For a REVIEW and numerous viewer comments, see our Christian Spotlight page on “Fireproof.”

Official Web site: fireproofthemovie.com

See our earlier stories:

• Coming Christian film “Fireproof” brings together a union of marriage advocates
• “Fireproof” coming to theaters in September 2008