Jon Erwin Explains Why He’s Opening a Faith-Based Movie Studio
By Movieguide® Contributor
Director Jon Erwin shared his plans for a new faith-based movie studio that puts the power into the hands of the creatives rather than Hollywood executives.
“You just dream of the idea of could we have a studio of our own? If we could get enough money together that could give opportunity to the other creatives in the space and really set them free in a whole new way, like give them the resources and freedom to reach the audience that they’ve not had,” Erwin told Movieguide®. “Can we sort of declare independence in this industry and create a destination for the talent and the space to tell their stories?”
After directing many successful movies, including I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, I STILL BELIEVE, AMERICAN UNDERDOG and, most recently, JESUS REVOLUTION, Erwin has been given the resources to turn this dream into a reality.
He calls it the WONDER Project and hopes he can create a long-lasting legacy of faith-based content in Hollywood under this banner.
“The dream is a values-based brand and ecosystem that is absolutely unafraid of Christianity and the American dream and that tells stories that restore faith in things worth believing in,” Erwin explained. “You know, stories that are intentionally designed to pull families back together.
Isolation is the main issue that Erwin sees with the current entertainment industry. While movies and shows used to be made for families to enjoy together, today’s industry is too compartmentalized, which is feeding the growing rates of isolation in our country.
“We really are the first generation that are dealing with this sudden proliferation of technology and with streaming at scale. It’s not like you just have cable television. You have a lot of services bombarding your home with content,” he said. “What it begins to feel like is, you know, a screen used to be a place that pulled your family together…and now it’s almost like the screen rips our families apart.”
To combat this, Erwin wants his studio to create content that is specifically designed for inter-generational viewing. He saw this with the JESUS REVOLUTION as parents, grandparents and children all watched the movie together. He hopes to repeat this effect in the future.
“[I want something] I can watch with my teenage daughter or my, you know, 13-year-old son or even our two younger boys that is fiercely entertaining. That’s done with the highest standards of quality but that really allows us to have conversations as a family that are, you know, important and that really restore faith,” he said.
Erwin is not the only person in the industry who desires this. While many Christians in the past have been silently combatting negative industry trends as a way to live out their faith, they are now fed up and want to do work that is explicitly faith-based.
“There’s a moment in time in our industry. I think Christianity and values are just making their comeback,” he said.
“There’s a lot of executives in the entertainment industry that are just titans…that for a long time they were content…sort of keeping at bay some of the more damaging trends in the industry, but I think there’s been a shift in content in the industry where it’s like, enough is enough. I have to align my values with my career.”
It’s not only those in the industry who feel this way. Audiences have proven again and again that they are fed up as well, and they want content that aligns with their values, too.
“I was joking around the other day. I think the Hollywood press, they’re going to have to not be allowed to use the word ‘shocked’ anymore. I’m grateful for it, but these films keep coming. It’s like, ‘Faith audience shocks Hollywood.’ At some point, it’s like, we’re here to stay, and we’re large,” Erwin said. “We’re large. [Christianity] is the largest affinity group in the world. So the audience has spoken so clearly and so loudly.”
The irony is that Hollywood is largely built on faith-based content. The industry used to be flooded with shows and movies that promoted faith, and it’s only in recent decades that it has become taboo.
“The Biblical epic was the Marvel movie of Hollywood, and I just think that we can reclaim our voice in this industry together, and that’s what’s happening in a profound way,” he said.
Movieguide® previously reported:
JESUS REVOLUTION director Jon Erwin has launched The WONDER Project, a studio committed to creating content that serves “faith and values” focused audiences.
Erwin and former Netflix and YouTube executive Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten started the production house, based in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, to provide entertainment options for audiences often ignored by major studios.
“The dream of The WONDER Project is to create a trusted brand that serves the faith and values audience globally with movies and TV shows they didn’t know were possible,” Erwin said. “We will achieve this by giving the creatives dedicated to this audience (including myself) a level of freedom and resources they’ve never had before. This level of talent combined with the power of the stories we are developing is really inspiring! I can’t wait for the audience to experience the things we are working on.”
“I believe entertainment sits upstream from culture,” added Merryman Hoogstraten. “And today, the world needs a way to find common ground again. Here at The WONDER Project, our goal is to flood the world with hope. I am convinced we can make a difference by telling stories that restore hope in things worth believing in – family, community, God, and America. We will do this at scale for a global audience that seeks faith and values-driven entertainment. And we will give the audience a brand they can call their own.”
- Content: +1Share:
- Content: +2