'Wesley' Film Shifts Release Date to 2009

By Josh Kimball, Christian Post Reporter Sunday, October 12, 2008

The release date for independent feature film "Wesley" has been moved to early 2009 after having once been scheduled for debut between the release of faith-based films "Fireproof" and "Billy: The Early Years."

The movie, based closely on the actual events from the life of Methodism founder John Wesley, has been in post-production since July 2007 and is currently listed as having a Nov. 15, 2008 release date in the Internet Movie Database.

On the movie's website, however, filmmakers report that "Wesley" is on track to release in theaters early next year, after stating just last month that it was on track for a 2008 release.

"We have some high-end CGI that has taken longer than expected and the composer is still working on the score," producer and director John Jackman explained to The Christian Post this past week.

In addition to the post-production lag, marketing for the film has also been a slow-go.

The trailer for the movie, which was first released on Oct. 17, 2007, was not posted on YouTube.com until last month and is currently still waiting to receive approval for posting in GodTube.com.

"I suppose only time will tell how good the movie is, but here's hoping," commented Dr. Todd A. Stepp, pastor of Grace Church of the Nazarene in Evansville, Ind., in his blog days after first reading about the movie in August.

"I'm hoping it will be at least comparable to the Luther movie that came out a while back," he also stated.

Though not as actively marketed as the recent box office hit "Fireproof," which has raked in an estimated $13.6 million since its Sept. 26 debut, "Wesley" has been building up a following – mostly among the some 13 million people nationwide whose churches belong to the Protestant movement that Wesley founded in the 18th century.

According to Foundery Pictures, "Wesley" contains the elements to make a truly compelling motion picture. And filmmaker Jackman, who is also the pastor of a church in Winston-Salem, N.C., believes that the dramatic and often surprising story of John Wesley will attract moviegoers of all faiths, as well as warm their hearts.

"The story is one of personal spiritual transformation," Jackman said during an interview with Reel Carolina Magazine, "and I think we've told it in a way that will resonate with many people of different backgrounds and beliefs."

Burgess Jenkins, who plays Wesley in the film, meanwhile applauded the film for its openness and reach.

"I think the end result is something that is so far-reaching in so many ways — that if you're not Christian, you're not going to be turned off by it … and if you are [Christian], you're going to get something very profound from it," he told the United Methodist News Service.

For "Wesley," Jackman reportedly spent more than a 1,500 hours researching extensively on the historical story of John Wesley and several top Wesley scholars were involved as consultants. The script for the upcoming film is based largely on the journals of both Wesley and his brother, Charles, who founded Oxford University, where Methodism began as an unflattering nickname of the "Holy Club."

Jackman has been tight-lipped about the budget for "Wesley," explaining that it has been kept confidential "for a variety of reasons."

The filmmaker did, however, suggest the film's budget will be "far closer" to the Kendrick brothers' latest movie, "Fireproof," which was produced on a $500,000 budget, than their first film, "Flywheel," which was produced on a $20,000 budget.

For the recently released biopic "Billy: The Early Years," based on the life of evangelist Billy Graham, a $5 million budget was set. Despite the larger budget, however, "Billy" is scheduled to debut this weekend in only around 300 theaters – roughly one-third of the number that "Fireproof" opened in when it debuted.