Watch the trailer below:
Video credit: Unplanned Movie
To say that “Unplanned” has exceeded all expectations is a bit of an understatement.
The biopic is about Abby Johnson’s dramatic transformation from an abortion mouthpiece for Planned Parenthood to pro-life crusader. The film apparently made a lot of powerful people unhappy and it was slapped with a controversial “R” rating from the MPAA and TV networks even refused to air the film’s ads.
The film even found its official Twitter account inexplicably suspended on Saturday with the “error” only fixed after a swift and intense backlash.
All the above were apparently meant to ensure that the film didn’t prosper but despite all the obstacles, it managed to rake in an estimated $6,110,000 this weekend, enough to make it the #5 movie in the box office. Earlier projections said that the film would only bring in half of what it’s generated so far.
The pro-life film, made on a $6 million budget, even got a cumulative per-screen average of $5,770 per screen, which outperformed “Captain Marvel” which was made on a $152 million budget.
It also generated very positive audience reviews, getting a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and an A+ rating from CinemaScore.
What makes the film’s success remarkable is that it did so despite the seemingly concerted efforts to make sure it failed.
Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood executive, had assisted with over 22,000 abortions until one ultrasound-guided abortion convinced her to leave the industry.
“I thought I was helping women,” Johnson said in January. “But I was doing more harm than good. It wasn’t until I saw a child fight for its life that my world came crashing down and I understood the enormity of my actions. I had to leave.”
“No one will be able to walk away after seeing this movie and say, ‘I didn’t know,'” she added.
Johnson also credited God for the film’s success despite all the obstacles.
“Look what God has done,” she said. “I could not be more thrilled with the debut of Unplanned. The reports of healing and conversation nationwide are edifying and encouraging. My inbox is filled with stories of post-abortive women who are finding healing through this film as well as pro-choice people who have started to question their beliefs.”
After leaving Planned Parenthood, Johnson founded And Then There Were None. The organization has assisted over 500 abortion workers to leave the industry to find new jobs.
In the meantime, lead actress Ashley Bratcher commented that she was “blown away” with the success of the film.
“I am blown away by the public response to UNPLANNED as well as the box office numbers,” Bratcher said in a statement to The Daily Wire. “Not only is it beyond my wildest dreams, but it has surpassed the expectations of critics across the country.
Despite biased critic reviews written more like op-eds, the audience has spoken. I just learned that UNPLANNED received a coveted A+ CinemaScore. While that is truly an honor, the most rewarding thing about this weekend’s opening is the flood of messages I’ve received from people experiencing healing and a change of heart.
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Bratcher portrays Johnson in the film. In a twist, the actress also revealed last year that she was almost aborted by her mother.
During the filming of “Unplanned,” Bratcher’s mother told her, “I need to tell you something that I’ve never told you before. I was going to abort you.” Bratcher’s mother also had an abortion three years before the birth of the actress.
Speaking to “Fox & Friends,” the actress said: “I’m grateful that God, through His providence, planted me here to tell my story — and that I have the privilege of sharing this film with the world. And yes, I do secretly hope that one of the outcomes of all of these ‘coincidences’ is that many will find the courage my mother found when she listened to her conscience and made the choice that gave me life.”
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