"I Can Only Imagine 2" Deploys a Huge Number of Extras

The sequel to the hit film about MercyMe lead singer Bart Millard is two weeks into production.

Thousands of extras filled Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver, Colorado, yesterday for a scene from "I Can Only Imagine 2." Image: Kingdom Story Company/photographer Kadin Tooley/from Instagram.

Co-directors Andrew Erwin and Brent McCorkle are clearly aiming for authenticity in the making of their new movie I Can Only Imagine 2. At least that is the case when it comes to the concert scenes they are shooting, including one yesterday that involved a massive 8,000-person crowd!

The filmmakers gathered that audience of extras for scenes they filmed at the spectacular Red Rocks Amphitheatre outside of Denver, Colorado, to recreate a show from Christian band MercyMe and lead singer Bart Millard. That number, large as it is, is not a record for a faith-based production - the streaming show The Chosen deployed some 10,000 extras for a scene back in 2022 - but the turnout still ranks right up there among the most ever, more than doubling the 3,000 people Erwin and team used in a scene in the first picture, according to a social media clip.

Lead actor John Michael Finley (left) and Bart Millard walk onto stage during filming of "I Can Only Imagine 2" at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Image: Kingdom Story Company/screenshot from Instagram.

Millard, of course, is the focus of the new film, as he was in the inaugural one that came out back in 2018 when it became one of the highest grossing movies in the faith-based genre. I Can Only Imagine generated $83.4 million domestically and another $2.6 million internationally, doing so on a budget of just $7 million.

John Michael Finley is reprising his role as Millard in this production and he will again be joined by Dennis Quaid, as Millard's father, and Trace Adkins in the role of his manager. This sequel, using the band's hit song Even If as its anthem, delves into a time when, despite enjoying considerable professional success, the Christian musician struggled with his beliefs because of a serious health issue involving his young son.

Production, most of which will take place in and around Nashville, Tennessee, is scheduled to last into next month. Erwin's production outfit - Kingdom Story Company - will release the movie in March of 2026 through their partners at Lionsgate.