Hollywood Finds Religion and Divine Profits at Theaters

USA TODAY
By Scott Bowles

HOLLYWOOD---By Hollywood standards at least, the movie business is bracing for a flood of biblical proportions. Not since "The Ten Commandments" and "Ben-Hur" more than a half-century ago has the film industry bankrolled religious-themed pictures as it has this year, with four big-studio Christian films storming the multiplex, along with dozens of art-house titles. Audiences have been faithful to the stories thus far. "Son of God," 20th Century Fox's $22 million film about Jesus, has collected $56 million since its Feb. 28 release. "God's Not Dead" stunned analysts last weekend by taking fourth place at the box office with $9.2 million. [link]

• STORY: 'Noah' hits rough religious waters onscreen 
• MORE: Russell Crowe goes to the Vatican 

And more tales are flocking to theaters:

• "Noah" (out Friday). The story of the apocalyptic flood and the man who navigated it stars Russell Crowe.
• "Heaven Is for Real" (April 16). Greg Kinnear stars in this story about a boy who has visions of heaven in a near-death experience during surgery.
• "Exodus" (Dec. 12). Ridley Scott directs this story of Moses, starring Christian Bale.