Not all films’ box office wins are directly affected by when they are released, but there’s obviously a reason why studios behind upcoming horror movies tend to target October debuts, or why religious movies are usually released around Easter or Christmas. Something tells me Angel Studios’ execs were keenly aware of how big Young Washington could be with an Independence Day weekend release, as the historical drama fared even better than the initial expectations.
What’s more, Young Washington’s big financial win sparked director Jon Erwin to hit up social media with huge news about what’s happening next at the studio, which we’ll get into lower down. First, we’re focusing on the huge turnout in theatrical screenings, complete with surprising demographic data for the 2026 movie release.
Young Washington Crushed Its Live-Action Competition At The Box Office
Young Washington tells the oft-bypassed story of George Washington’s early days in the U.S. military, with actor William Franklyn-Miller taking on the role of the United States’ first President, though several years before that leadership achievement was reached. Along with I Can Only Imagine helmer and Wonder Project CCO Jon Erwin behind the camera, the film also boasts a solid cast including Ben Kingsley, Mary-Louise Parker, Andy Serkis and Kelsey Grammer.
The cast and subject matter were definitely enough to draw moviegoers into theaters throughout the high-temperature July 4 weekend, with Young Washington rising up to become not only the biggest live-action debut for the holiday, but also Angel Studio’s most impressive live-action opening weekend, racking up $20.8 million and besting the industry’s $15 million projections. (It was only bested by the 2025 animated release David, which brought in $22 million in its first weekend.)
Contrast that with Angel Studio’s biggest hit to date, the 2023 trafficking thriller Sound of Freedom, which earned $19.6 million in its first three days of release. Of course, that film ended up doubling that amount over its next three days for an impressive six-day total of $41.6 million. Whether or not this pre-POTUS story will top that is unknown, but I'm sure getting recommendations from Chris Pratt can't hurt.
According to Deadline, the impressive $20.8 million haul was without higher-priced ticket prices for premium larger-format screens, and the bulk of that total (67%) was earned largely from regions in the middle of the country, as well as the South. Perhaps surprisingly, the most successful location showing Young Washington was a megaplex in Utah, where consumers spent more than $111,000 on tickets. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a huge part of that crowd (47%) was also 55 years of age and older.
Young Washington's Director Is Already Confirming A Sequel Is Happening
It looks like Angel and Wonder Project were already set to enjoy box office spoils going into Young Washington's first weekend, as Jon Erwin didn't even wait for the weekend numbers to surface before taking to Instagram to share some big news with all the people who went out to see it: a sequel is already in the works, and it's being touted as going even bigger, with a pretty specific time setting locked in. Here's what the filmmaker had to say when talking about all the screenings that took place before the official release:
This one question keeps coming up: are you going to make another movie? Is there a follow-up on the life of George Washington? So we’re here at Mount Vernon. This is a museum dedicated to him, so I thought, well, there’s no better place in the world to answer that question than right here. The answer is yes, we are working on another one right now. We have just begun writing another Revolutionary War epic on the year 1776. And if you think Washington is big, wait for 1776. It’s epic in every way. It’s another incredible chapter in this man’s life and legacy.
Given how hectic and scaled-up the battle scenes are in Young Washington, it's assumed that the 1776-focused feature will go even harder on the size and scope, as well as the effects. Can't hate on big battle scenes that cast real human extras instead of digital fill-ins.
In Angel's press announcement celebrating Young Washington's box office victory, Erwin shares his own positive thoughts and hopes for the future, which has me wondering if the two studios will collaborate on future features centering on other historical icons. Here's how he put it:
The American experiment is one of the greatest origin stories in history, and George Washington's journey through failure, perseverance, and sacrifice forged the leader who would help shape a nation. To share that journey with audiences alongside Angel as our nation marks its 250th anniversary has been one of the greatest honors of my career. My hope is that this is the beginning of many extraordinary American stories told through film and television.
If any new projects get announced in the coming weeks that are focusing entirely on Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, or Abraham Lincoln, I'm just going to assume Angel and Wonder Project are involved until proven otherwise. But we still have George Washington's later years to look forward to on the big screen, so the others can wait.
Young Washington is now playing in theaters around the country.
