Young Washington Wins Fans With 94% Audience Score

Angel Studios’ historical drama “Young Washington” has emerged as one of the surprise performers of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, exceeding box office expectations while earning an overwhelmingly positive response from moviegoers. The film attracted audiences looking for an alternative to major family releases such as “Minions & Monsters” and “Toy Story 5.”

The film earned an estimated $7.6 million on its opening day, outperforming “Supergirl,” and is projected to collect between $20 million and $21 million over the holiday weekend. That would place it behind only “Minions & Monsters” and “Toy Story 5” at the domestic box office.

While critics have been less enthusiastic, giving “Young Washington” a 58% score on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences have responded far more positively. The film currently holds a 94% audience score, highlighting a significant gap between critical and public reception.

“Young Washington” features a cast that includes Andy Serkis, Kelsey Grammer and Ben Kingsley. It also marks a breakout role for William Franklyn-Miller, whose performance received public praise from Chris Pratt in a viral social media video encouraging audiences to watch the film.

The film’s performance has drawn comparisons to Angel Studios’ 2023 release “Sound of Freedom.” Released on July 4, 2023, that film earned a 57% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes but achieved a 99% audience score based on more than 10,000 reviews. Produced on a $14.5 million budget, “Sound of Freedom,” starring Jim Caviezel, went on to generate $250 million worldwide, with 73% of its revenue coming from domestic theaters.

Angel Studios describes its productions as “values-based” entertainment rooted in Christian principles. The studio has built a loyal audience through both theatrical releases and streaming projects, including the widely successful biblical series “The Chosen.”

Another recent example of a wide divide between critics and audiences is “Citizen Vigilante,” directed by Uwe Boll and starring Armie Hammer. The film holds a 7% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes but a 94% audience score. While critics have largely dismissed both films for different reasons, audience ratings and box office results suggest they have found stronger public support than many industry observers expected.