Shubhabrata Dutta
Bart Millard‘s uplifting Christian saga has not come to an end! The Cinemaholic can reveal that the sequel to the Erwin Brothers’ ‘I Can Only Imagine’ is in the works at Lionsgate. Principal photography for the project will start in Nashville, Tennessee, in March 2025. Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin will return to direct the project.
In the original film, Bart is a young boy who is forced to live with his abusive father, Arthur, after his mother abandons them. After being subjected to regular abuse and ridicule, he runs away and, under a mentor’s guidance, shapes his interest in music by joining a band as a singer. Upon returning home to reconcile with his father, he is taken aback to discover how Arthur has changed from the monster he was to a devout Christian. While the two bond again, cancer takes Arthur away soon, inspiring Bart to pen the song “I Can Only Imagine,” which becomes the best-selling Christian song of all time.
The narrative of the sequel begins after the events of ‘I Can Only Imagine,’ following Bart Millard as his world comes crashing down at the height of his career. He wrestles with his faith and himself while trying to overcome suffering. In the sequel, we can expect J. Michael Finley to reprise his role, Bart Millard. He will likely be joined by Madeline Carroll as Bart’s girlfriend, Shannon Street, and Trace Adkins as Scott Brickell. Dennis Quaid’s return remains uncertain due to Arthur’s death in the first movie.
‘I Can Only Imagine’ was initially followed by the Erwin Brothers’ ‘I Still Believe,’ which revolves around the relationship between Christian music singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp and his first wife, Melissa Lynn Henning-Camp. KJ Apa and Britt Robertson headlined the movie.
The Erwin Brothers are renowned for their Christian films. Their latest directorial effort is ‘Jesus Revolution,’ based on Greg Laurie’s autobiographical book of the same name. It revolves around the 1960s Jesus Movement in California, following hippie evangelist Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), who helps Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer) overcome his distrust of the youth and turns the latter’s chapel into the heart of a nationwide movement.
The Erwin Brothers’ other notable films include the sports films ‘American Underdog,’ based on the life of the NFL quarterback Kurt Warner (Zachary Levi), and ‘Woodlawn,’ based on the relationship between the Miami Dolphins’ Tony Nathan and coach Tandy Gerelds.
The original movie was mainly filmed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Nashville is a significant location for popular films such as ‘The Matrix,’ ‘Nashville,’ and ‘The Green Mile.’
