When we began 2014â??the â??Year of the Bibleâ? as it was calledâ??many wondered whether religious audiences could carry films to financial success. With â??Son of Godâ? taking in nearly $60 million, â??Noahâ? earning more than $100 million, and the insane success of â??Godâ??s Not Deadâ?, the answer is a resounding â??yes.â? But Hollywood will conduct its final experiment on Friday when Ridley Scottâ??s â??Exodusâ? arrives in theaters.
In some ways, â??Exodusâ? hopes to strike a balance between the two poles of recent Bible films. â??Son of Godâ? was a wooden and overly literal adaptation of the Jesus story that captured traditionalist Christians but didnâ??t penetrate deeply into the general market. â??Noahâ? captured non-religious audiences with an all-star cast, but the fanciful, less literal portrayal put off some religious watchers. With an estimated production budget of $140 million, â??Exodusâ? canâ??t afford to lose either. But in order to win over believers en masse, the film will have to overcome three hurdles.
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