$40 Million is within Reach for "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever"

The faith-based film is winding down a successful theatrical run as the Yuletide season comes to a close.

Cast members of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" appear in a scene from the movie. Image: Kingdom Story Company/Lionsgate.

From Christian director Dallas Jenkins, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever earned an estimated $335,000 over the weekend, putting it in 13th place overall at the box office, according to early figures from The Numbers website. That brings its total North American ticket revenue to an impressive $39.7 million through 52 days in release.

Now playing in under 500 theaters, it will not run much longer, but the movie is almost certain to cross the $40-million mark before it finishes. And that comes with an estimated production budget of just $10 million, making it a major success for Jenkins - who is best-known as the creator/director of The Chosen - and his partners at Kingdom Story Company and Lionsgate, the studios behind this project.