Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company will be involved in producing a sequel to “I Can Only Imagine,” the 2018 faith-based hit film that led to the release of Kingdom the following year.
“This is Us” star Milo Ventimiglia will join the cast as singer-songwriter Tim Timmons. John Michael Finley will return to play Bart Millard, founder of the Christian organization MercyMe, alongside Dennis Quaid and Trace Adkins.
Andrew Erwin, who directed “I Can Only Imagine” with his brother, Jon, returns to direct the sequel with screenwriter Brent McCorkle. Erwin will also produce with Millard, Kevin Downes, Cindy Bond, Daryl Lefever, and Joshua Walsh.
Adam Fogelson, president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, said: “We are delighted to once again collaborate with Kingdom for this sequel to Bart’s story and are confident that its winning blend of emotional reality and natural center will resonate with audiences around the world. world. . “
“I Can Only Imagine” retells the story of Millard’s life and career with MercyMe, culminating in the writing of the titular song which still stands as the most successful Christian music single of all time.
The film, produced on a budget of $7 million, grossed $83 million at the box office and established Jon and Andrew Erwin as one of the most productive religious filmmakers. With profits from the film, they created Kingdom Story Company with an initial distribution deal with Lionsgate.
While Lionsgate has faced a poor year at the box office, their partnership with Kingdom has remained a bright spot as their latest release, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” has been a theatrical success with $37.2 million grossed and counting against a budget reported to be less than $10 million. The sequel to “I Can Only Imagine” will be released by Lionsgate under a renewed first-look deal made last month.
“I Can Only Imagine captured the hearts of audiences when it was released, and continues to provide hope and encouragement to millions around the globe,” said Downes. “The success of that film led to the founding of Kingdom Story Company, where our mission is to tell stories that ignite a ‘rush of hope,’ and so we are thrilled that we get to return to this world and explore the rest of Bart’s incredible journey in our company’s first sequel.”
Ventimiglia is represented through WME, Entertainment 360 and McKuin Frankel Whitehead.