I Can Only Imagine (film)

I Can Only Imagine
Theatrical release poster
Directed byErwin Brothers
Screenplay by
  • Jon Erwin
  • Brent McCorkle
Story by
  • Alex Cramer
  • Jon Erwin
  • Brent McCorkle
Based onThe life story of
Bart Millard
Produced by
  • Cindy Bond
  • Kevin Downes
  • Daryl Lefever
  • Mickey Liddell
  • Pete Shilaimon
  • Raymond Harris
  • Joe Knopp
Starring
CinematographyKristopher Kimlin
Edited by
  • Andrew Erwin
  • Brent McCorkle
Music byBrent McCorkle
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • March 16, 2018 (2018-03-16)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$7 million[2]
Box office$86 million[3][2]

I Can Only Imagine is a 2018 American Christian biographical drama film directed by the Erwin Brothers and written by Alex Cramer, Jon Erwin, and Brent McCorkle, based on the story behind the group MercyMe's song of the same name, the best-selling Christian single of all time.[4] The film stars J. Michael Finley as Bart Millard, the lead singer who wrote the song about his relationship with his father (Dennis Quaid). Madeline Carroll, Trace Adkins, Priscilla Shirer, and Cloris Leachman also star.

I Can Only Imagine was released in the United States on March 16, 2018. It was a box office success, grossing $86 million worldwide against a production budget of $7 million, earning more than twelve times its budget. It is the fifth highest-grossing music biopic[5] and sixth highest-grossing Christian film[6] of all-time in the United States. Some critics praised it as inspiring and noted it as an improvement compared to other faith-based films, while others called it flat and by-the-numbers. At the 2018 Dove Awards, the film won "Inspirational Film of the Year".[7]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference deadline81417 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b "I Can Only Imagine (2018)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  3. ^ "I Can Only Imagine (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on October 30, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  4. ^ Ryan, Patrick (March 13, 2018). "How did 'I Can Only Imagine' become the biggest Christian hit ever (and inspire a movie)?". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  5. ^ "Christian Movies at the Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  6. ^ "Christian Movies at the Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  7. ^ "49th Annual GMA Dove Awards Winners Revealed Tuesday Night in Nashville | The 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards". Archived from the original on 2018-10-19. Retrieved 2018-10-19.