David animated musical arrives on Netflix after record theatrical run

Angel Studios’ animated biblical musical David arrived on Netflix on June 3, 2026, bringing the film to a broader streaming audience following a record-breaking theatrical run that grossed $87.5 million worldwide. The film, directed by Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes, tells the story of the shepherd boy’s journey to becoming king of Israel through faith and courage.

Record-Breaking Theatrical Performance

David shattered expectations when it debuted in theaters on December 19, 2025. The animated musical opened with $22 million across 3,118 theaters, setting a new record for the highest-grossing opening weekend for a faith-based animated film. The film surpassed previous benchmarks held by classic biblical animations, including The Prince of Egypt and Angel Studios’ own The King of Kings. The strong debut reflected early enthusiasm from faith-based audiences and families seeking biblical storytelling in animated form. Over its full theatrical run, the film maintained steady audience interest, ultimately grossing $87.5 million at the global box office.

Cast and Creative Team

The film features an ensemble voice cast led by Phil Wickham, a contemporary Christian music artist, as the voice of adult David, and Brandon Engman as young David. The cast also includes Lauren Daigle, Asim Chaudhry, Mick Wingert, and Will de Renzy-Martin. The animated musical is a follow-up to the five-part television miniseries Young David, expanding the biblical narrative into a full-length theatrical feature. Directors Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes led the production, which combines groundbreaking animation with musical storytelling to explore David’s transformation from shepherd to king.

Netflix Expansion and Broader Reach

The arrival of David on Netflix represents a significant expansion of the film’s audience beyond theatrical and faith-based streaming platforms. Prior to the Netflix release, the film was available exclusively on Angel Studios, the faith-focused distribution platform that produced and released the movie. The Netflix rollout gives the film access to millions of subscribers worldwide, allowing families and viewers unfamiliar with Angel Studios to discover the biblical epic. Additional international releases on Netflix are expected to follow the initial U.S. rollout, further extending the film’s reach globally and potentially introducing David’s story to new audiences across different markets.

Sources

• What’s on Netflix — Netflix release date and streaming rollout information
• Wikipedia — Box office figures, cast, crew, and production details
• Gospel Music Association — Opening weekend box office record and theater count
• Forbes — Opening weekend performance and faith-based animated film records
• Angel Studios — Voice cast and production details