--- title: How 'Sound of Freedom' Became a Controversial Hit description: The film, criticized for playing into right wing conspiracy theories, has outperformed big-budget movies this summer. canonical: https://time.com/6304595/sound-of-freedom-controversy-success/ author: Megan McCluskey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2023-08-29T20:53:46.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-24T16:16:31.936Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: How 'Sound of Freedom' Took Over the Summer Box Office og:description: The film, criticized for playing into right wing conspiracy theories, has outperformed big-budget movies this summer og:url: https://time.com/6304595/sound-of-freedom-controversy-success/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2f052e7cbd01942d/698a3fadcabb1d4202e51ae2/Sound-of-Freedom-Jim-Caviezel.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Sound-of-Freedom-Jim-Caviezel og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How 'Sound of Freedom' Took Over the Summer Box Office twitter:description: The film, criticized for playing into right wing conspiracy theories, has outperformed big-budget movies this summer twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2f052e7cbd01942d/698a3fadcabb1d4202e51ae2/Sound-of-Freedom-Jim-Caviezel.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How _Sound of Freedom_ Became the Surprise Box Office Hit of the Summer > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account.  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Aug 29, 2023 8:53 PM UTC  Jim Caviezel in Sound of Freedom Jim Caviezel in Sound of FreedomAngel Studios  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Aug 29, 2023 8:53 PM UTC Amid the hype over the cinematic double whammy of ["Barbenheimer"](https://time.com/6293844/barbie-oppenheimer-internet-phenomenon/), another movie has crept up in the box office rankings this summer: _Sound_ _of Freedom_. Directed and co-written by Alejandro Monteverde, _Sound of Freedom_ is a low-budget action thriller about a U.S. federal agent who goes rogue on a mission to rescue children in Latin America from sex trafficking. Since its release on July 4, it's raked in [over $180 million at the domestic box office](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl4254237441/?ref%5F=bo%5Fhm%5Frd), outperforming big-budget features like _Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One_ and _Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny_, and making it the highest-grossing indie film since 2019’s _Parasite_. Billed as a story about the real-life Tim Ballard, a former special agent for the Department of Homeland Security and founder of the anti-trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.), _Sound of Freedom_ has become mired in controversy over criticisms that it features misleading depictions of child exploitation and plays into right-wing conspiracy theories associated with the [QAnon movement](https://time.com/5955248/qanon-local-elections/). These associations have been perpetuated by both Ballard and his on-screen counterpart, Jim Caviezel, who has been a prominent supporter of QAnon for years. The film's distributor, Angel Studios, has denied that _Sound of Freedom_ is political or connected to QAnon. “Anybody who watches this film knows that this film is not about conspiracy theories," Angel CEO Neal Harmon [said in an interview](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/11/business/sound-of-freedom-trafficking.html). "It’s not about politics.” While _Sound of Freedom_ doesn't take a direct political stance or invoke QAnon, the fervent support for the film from the right has resulted it inbeing labeled "MAGA-friendly" and embraced by both mainstream conservatives and far-right conspiracy theorists. Former President Donald Trump recently hosted a screening of the film at his golf club in New Jersey, while Republican Senators [Ted Cruz](https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1676794946391625728?s=20) and [Tim Scott](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/19/us/politics/trump-sound-of-freedom.html) have publicly praised it. Here's how _Sound of Freedom_ became the controversial hit of the summer. ## _Sound of Freedom_'s origin story In August, Monteverde—best known for writing and directing the 2006 drama _Bella_, which won the top prize at the Toronto International Film Festival—began addressing the controversies around _Sound of Freedom_, calling the association with QAnon "ridiculous" in an interview with [_Variety_](https://variety.com/2023/film/features/sound-of-freedom-director-controversy-calls-qanon-untrue-1235694549/#recipient%5Fhashed=3b97744c9bc8d1f40e513ca59576a7374f35aae59fb7d7c6b6f3b9c0a2eef562&recipient%5Fsalt=0273f8111d2408a22a6766c626497208aa66cbddbd25ecc2fbfa731e60e43191)_._ “The origin \[of the film\] has been avoided, purposely or accidentally, in the media,” he said. “The origin will answer a lot of these misconceptions on the film.” According to the filmmaker, he began the project that became _Sound of Freedom_ in 2015, two years before QAnon emerged. After watching a network news segment on child sex trafficking, Monteverde said he was inspired to start writing a screenplay on the subject. The resultingscript, originally titled _Mogul_, was "purely fictionalized," he said. However, after the film’s producer, Eduardo Verástegui, met Ballard, the project came to center on the time that Ballard spent deployed as an undercover operative for the U.S. Child Sex Tourism Jump Team while assigned to Homeland Security's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for over a decade prior to 2013\. "All I wanted was to present a question about the problem: human trafficking, child trafficking, child sexual exploitation," Monteverde said. "How bad the problem is. We shot in 2018\. In 2019, it was a completely finished film." Verástegui—who plays a role in _Sound of Freedom_ in addition to producing—was also responsible for rallying the investors who supplied [$14.5 million](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-14/sound-of-freedom-movie-director-alejandro-monteverde-box-office-controversy) in funding for the film. At _Sound of Freedom_'s premiere, he told the [Washington _Examiner_](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/sound-of-freedom-the-film-you-almost-never-had-the-chance-to-see) that after he heard Ballard's story, he was compelled to turn it into a film. “I am a filmmaker," he said. "I ask myself, 'What can I do?' A movie. I have a weapon of mass instruction, and inspiration.” Verástegui later told the [New York _Post_](https://nypost.com/2023/07/12/sound-of-freedom-is-real-not-qanon-fantasy-says-anti-trafficking-hero-who-inspired-hit/) that while he doesn't understand the criticism surrounding the movie, he sees it as a blessing in disguise. “They are doing us a favor, the more they attack the movie, people show up," he said. "_Sound of Freedom_ is saving lives." The film was initially picked up for distribution by Fox Latin America, but ended up in production limbo for nearly five years after Fox was acquired by Disney in 2019\. Disney [allegedly declined to release the film](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/sound-of-freedom-film-highlights-child-trafficking-crisis), but ultimately allowed the filmmakers to buy back the rights. After the movie was further delayed by the pandemic and passed on for distribution by other major studios and streamers, the _Sound of Freedom_ team agreed to a deal with Angel Studios in March 2023\. ## What is Angel Studios and how did it get involved? Founded in 2021 by Mormon brothers Neal and Jeff Harmon, Angel Studios is a Utah-based media company that specializes in crowdfunding original films and TV series that "amplify light." In recent years, the studio has found success with _The Chosen_, a multi-season series about the life of Jesus touted by Angel as the ["biggest crowdfunded project in TV history,"](https://www.angel.com/watch/the-chosen/about#departments) and faith-based films like _His Only Son_ and _Testament_. To distribute and market _Sound of Freedom_, Angel [raised $5 million from nearly 7,000 crowd investors](https://invest.angel.com/freedom) in exchange for shares of the film's revenue. On August 16, the studio announced in a press release that it repaid its backers their original investment plus a 20% profit. Monteverde told _Variety_ that the Harmons took a unique approach to promoting _Sound of Freedom_. "They just had a completely different way of marketing a film that I’ve never seen," he said. "I became a pain. And they told me, 'Alejandro, let us do our work. You have to trust us.' And we made a deal." To drum up ticket sales, Angel added a clip at the end of the[ film's trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiZgs7dyBZg) where Caviezel directly addresses the audience and encourages viewers to preorder their tickets to "send the message that God's children are no longer for sale." Caviezel also comes on screen at the end of the movie itself to urge audiences to participate in Angel's ["Pay It Forward"](https://www.angel.com/pay-it-forward/sound-of-freedom?utm%5Fmedium=direct&utm%5Fsource=angel-freedom&utm%5Fcampaign=sound-of-freedom-theatrical) program by buying an extra ticket for someone "who might not otherwise see \[the film\]." This has led to questions about how many of those extra tickets are actually being used and whether they're over-inflating the movie's sales figures. Jared Geesey, Angel's senior vice president of global distribution, told the [_Hollywood Reporter_](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sound-of-freedom-angel-studios-pay-it-forward-1235550898/) that the "vast majority" of tickets are being bought directly by moviegoers and that only redeemed donated tickets are counted when Angel reports its box office grosses. Monteverde estimated that the Pay It Forward program accounts for less than 10% of _Sound of Freedom_'s overall box-office earnings. “We do not break out Pay It Forward tickets versus regular tickets because they’re the same thing," Geesey said. "A ticket is a ticket, whether you paid for it or someone else paid for it.” According to the studio's website, money from unredeemed tickets may be used to pay for streaming _Sound of Freedom_ in the Angel Studios app or "to help the filmmaker create additional content." Angel did not respond to TIME's request for comment. ## Controversy takes over Much of the controversy surrounding _Sound of Freedom_ stems from Caviezel and Ballard, who have openly supported QAnon. Caviezel, best known for playing Jesus in Mel Gibson's _The Passion of the Christ_, has given [speeches](https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/07/15/the-adrenochrome-conspiracy-theory-pushed-by-sound-of-freedom-star-explained/?sh=60d22ecf5179) and [interviews](https://twitter.com/AlKapDC/status/1659272556795371551) in which he promotes the baseless conspiracy theory that a shadowy international cabal of top Democratic politicians and famous liberal elites are kidnapping children, forcing them into sex trafficking, and [harvesting the chemical adrenochrome](https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/07/15/the-adrenochrome-conspiracy-theory-pushed-by-sound-of-freedom-star-explained/?sh=60d22ecf5179) from their blood to consume as an elixir of youth. The conspiracy theory, which has anti-Semitic roots, has been debunked numerous times by media outlets and [scientific communities](https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/pseudoscience/qanons-adrenochrome-quackery). Meanwhile, Ballard is caught up in his own web of controversy. In addition to voicing support for false QAnon-associated claims, Ballard's work as an anti-trafficking activist has also come under scrutiny. Days after _Sound of Freedom_ was released, [_Vice_](https://www.vice.com/en/article/4a3apm/anti-trafficking-group-with-long-history-of-false-claims-gets-its-hollywood-moment) published a lengthy investigation into how Ballard has a history of self-mythologizing and embellishing his exploits while O.U.R. has "spent years making big, often unprovable claims about its paramilitary missions and role in rescuing trafficked kids." "A number of O.U.R.’s claims about its work are dramatically overstated or without clear documentary evidence," the piece read. "People who have volunteered for O.U.R. have raised concerns that it could actually have been creating demand for trafficking victims, by going to foreign countries on undercover 'missions' that, at times, have seemed to consist of walking around bars and sex clubs asking for underage girls." Later that month, [_Vice_](https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7z74x/tim-ballard-sound-of-freedom-operation-underground-railroad-stepped-away) reported that Ballard had quietly parted ways with O.U.R. ahead of _Sound of Freedom_'s debut. The circumstances surrounding Ballard's departure were unclear. "Tim Ballard has stepped away from Operation Underground Railroad prior to the launch of the film, _Sound of Freedom_," O.U.R. said in a statement provided to TIME. "The operations, tactics, and methodologies depicted in _Sound of Freedom_ occurred in the early days of our organization, nearly nine years ago, and since then have evolved dramatically. The film represents just a small fraction of the operations, training, and aftercare support that we provide in the U.S. and around the world today." _Sound of Freedom_ itself has also been criticized by anti-trafficking experts for providing a ["false perception"](https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/sound-of-freedom-child-trafficking-experts-1234786352/) of child trafficking and promoting "rescue" tactics that may actually put real victims in danger. ## What's next for _Sound of Freedom_ Following its success in the U.S., _Sound of Freedom_ is set to roll out overseas in 21 different markets, including the U.K., Australia, Spain, South Africa and a number of countries in Latin America. According to Geesey, Angel Studios believes the film will ultimately cross the $200 million mark in North America as it begins what is expected to be a robust international launch. _Sound of Freedom_ is currently the 10th highest-grossing of the year in the U.S., outranking blockbusters like _Dial of Destiny_, _Dead Reckoning Part One_, _Transformers: Rise of the Beasts_, _Creed III_, and _Fast X_. “Since _Sound of Freedom_ launched in the U.S., demand has been building around the world in dozens of regions and languages,” he told the _Hollywood Reporter_. “Child trafficking is a global issue, and we hope to build on the incredible momentum here in the states and share the film’s powerful message worldwide.” Angel has also [reportedly](https://www.vulture.com/2023/08/sound-of-freedom-streaming-bidding-war.html) been shopping the first exclusive streaming rights for _Sound of Freedom_ at both subscription services and ad-supported streamers. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6304595/sound-of-freedom-controversy-success/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6304595/sound-of-freedom-controversy-success/"},"headline":"How Sound of Freedom Became the Surprise Box Office Hit of the Summer","datePublished":"2023-08-29T20:53:46.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T16:16:31.936Z","description":"The film, criticized for playing into right wing conspiracy theories, has outperformed big-budget movies this summer","url":"https://time.com/6304595/sound-of-freedom-controversy-success/","keywords":["movies","Explainer","culturepod"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2f052e7cbd01942d/698a3fadcabb1d4202e51ae2/Sound-of-Freedom-Jim-Caviezel.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Megan McCluskey","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2f052e7cbd01942d/698a3fadcabb1d4202e51ae2/Sound-of-Freedom-Jim-Caviezel.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Sound-of-Freedom-Jim-Caviezel","caption":"Jim Caviezel in 'Sound of Freedom'","creditText":"Angel Studios","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/movies/","name":"movies"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6304595/sound-of-freedom-controversy-success/","name":"How Sound of Freedom Became the Surprise Box Office Hit of the Summer"}}]}] ```