Drummer Boy has surprised the box office, taking 3.8 million dollars on Friday, 6 November 2026, and heading for a projected 9 million dollar opening weekend — well ahead of pre-release tracking, which had it in the mid-single digits.
The film opened in 2,850 theatres across the United States, rated PG-13, and finished Friday in third place behind Godzilla and Cat in the Hat. It had already taken around 3 million dollars in presales before opening day.
Audiences gave it a strong A CinemaScore — Angel Studios’ tenth A grade. Only Sound of Hope, The King of Kings and Sound of Freedom scored higher, with A+ grades. For a studio built on audience enthusiasm, that is a result worth celebrating.
Drummer Boy is Angel Studios’ first live-action theatrical musical, with a reported budget of 10 million dollars — meaning a 9 million dollar opening nearly breaks even in its first week. It is directed by Ben and Joel David Smallbone of For King & Country, the four-time Grammy winners, and Joel stars as Jeremiah Clem. The cast includes Lucas Leach, Ioan Gruffudd, Melora Hardin, Charles Esten, Iain Glen and India Brown.
The story follows two brothers on opposite sides of the American Revolutionary War, in a Christmas musical about forgiveness — “forgiveness is revolutionary”, as the filmmakers put it. It has been in development since 2019 and was filmed in Ireland from April 2026.
It is a reminder that the box office still has room for surprises. A small Christmas musical with a 10 million dollar budget, a first-time theatrical musical from a faith-based studio, has out-performed expectations — and audiences clearly loved it.
It joins a strong season for cinema, from Being Heumann opening in theatres to Wild Horse Nine earning Oscar buzz for John Malkovich. Drummer Boy is in theatres now.
Bhudev Bhagaliya is an experienced and senior journalist who has carved a distinct niche for himself in the world of Hindi journalism through his profound understanding and precise writing style. With over two decades of experience in the field of journalism, he has held key responsibilities at Dainik Hindustan for 12 years and at Amar Ujala for one year. Currently, he serves as the Content Editor for the Jagrook Youth News newspaper and portal, where he plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and credibility of the news content. Bhudev Bhagaliya consistently writes about issues that help raise awareness within society and among the younger generation.