Sight & Sound Theatres® and Lionsgate® Announce Digital and Physical Release of Sweeping Historical Drama Timed to America’s 250th Anniversary
LANCASTER, Pa., May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Following its nationwide theatrical debut, A GREAT AWAKENING is set to reach audiences at home, offering viewers a new opportunity to experience the inspiring true story that helped shape America’s spiritual foundation. The film is now available for purchase or rental across most digital platforms and the following home entertainment formats including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Fandango at Home, Xfinity, and YouTube, with a DVD release date scheduled for early June.
From Sight & Sound Theatres ― known for immersive storytelling and powerful stories of redemption ― in partnership with Lionsgate, A GREAT AWAKENING brings to life the extraordinary relationship between Benjamin Franklin and George Whitefield, two influential figures whose unlikely friendship sparked a movement that stirred hearts across a divided nation.
With its transition to home entertainment, A GREAT AWAKENING invites families, churches, and communities to engage with this pivotal chapter of history in a more personal and accessible way. Group Viewing Licenses are available through the entertainment company’s streaming service, Sight & Sound TV, as an opportunity for large groups to host a meaningful movie night and experience A GREAT AWAKENING together.
Combining intimate storytelling with sweeping production design, this film transports viewers from colonial streets to open-air revival gatherings where thousands once stood captivated. Directed by Joshua Enck, President & Chief Story Officer of Sight & Sound Theatres, the film continues the company’s expansion into feature filmmaking, following the success of I Heard The Bells.
“As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, this story feels more relevant than ever,” said Enck. “It’s a reminder that the strength of a nation is rooted in the hearts of its people, and that awakening often begins in the most unexpected places.”
SYNOPSIS: A GREAT AWAKENING tells the true story of an unlikely friendship between the Reverend George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin that resulted in one of the most defining moments in American history. With the colonies on the brink of collapse, the Reverend George Whitefield ignites the first Great Awakening, uniting an entire generation with his thundering and faithful sermons and proclamations of liberty. In a miraculous turn of events, one of Whitefield’s closest friends and greatest promoters becomes none other than Benjamin Franklin. With the nation’s freedom hanging in the balance, the founders discover true liberty cannot only be written into law ― it must be awakened in the hearts of the people.
Genre: | Faith, Drama, History |
Rating: | PG-13 (for brief violence) |
U.S. Release Dates: | On Demand and Digital May 5, 2026 |
Running Time: | 129 minutes |
Directed By: | Joshua Enck |
Written By: | Jeff Bender, Joshua Enck, Jonathan Blair. |
Produced By: | Joshua Enck, Troy Thorne, Steve Buckwalter, Timothy Monaghan |
Cast: | John Paul Sneed, Jonathan Blair (I Heard the Bells, Found on South Street) |
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Screen Format: 16×9 (2.39:1) Presentation
Audio: English 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby Audio
Run Time: 129 minutes
Closed-Captioned: Yes
Subtitles: None
COPYRIGHT:
© 2025 A GREAT AWAKENING, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Artwork & Supplementary Materials ®, ™ & © 2026 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
About Sight & Sound
Sight & Sound is a storytelling company passionate about bringing true stories of redemption to life on stage and on screen that reveal the power of the Gospel. Since its beginning as a traveling multi-media show in 1976, Sight & Sound has inspired over 30 million people with stories from the pages of scripture and history. Today, Sight & Sound operates two live-theater venues, immersing over a million people each year in state-of-the-art original productions. In 2020, Sight & Sound launched an online streaming platform, welcoming a new global audience from over 175 countries around the world. Most recently, Sight & Sound expanded into feature films, debuting at #2 in movie theaters across the nation. Sight & Sound is headquartered in Lancaster, PA with over 800 employees companywide.
About Lionsgate
The first major new studio in decades, Lionsgate is a global content leader whose films, television series, digital products and linear and over-the-top platforms reach next generation audiences around the world. In addition to its filmed entertainment leadership, Lionsgate content drives a growing presence in interactive and location-based entertainment, video games, esports and other new entertainment technologies. Lionsgate’s content initiatives are backed by a nearly 17,000-title film and television library and delivered through a global sales and distribution infrastructure. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring and ground-breaking content created with special emphasis on the evolving patterns and diverse composition of the Company’s worldwide consumer base.
SOURCE Sight & Sound
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