LOS ANGELES—Angel Studios released the historical drama "Young Washington" in U.S. theaters over the Independence Day weekend, timing the film's debut to coincide with celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding and expanding the company's slate of history- and faith-oriented theatrical releases.
The PG-13 feature opened on approximately 2,700 screens beginning July 3, according to industry reports, making it one of the weekend's widest specialty releases. The film chronicles the early life of George Washington during the French and Indian War, focusing on the experiences that preceded his role in the American Revolution and his election as the first U.S. president.
Directed by Jon Erwin, the film stars William Franklyn-Miller as the young Washington alongside Mary-Louise Parker, Ben Kingsley and Kelsey Grammer. Angel Studios has described the production as an origin story set in colonial America before the Revolution, following Washington as he navigates military service and leadership challenges that shaped his later career.
The release fulfills plans first announced jointly by Angel Studios and Wonder Project in 2025, when the companies said they would schedule the film for the July 4 holiday weekend in 2026 to align with the semiquincentennial commemorations. At the time, the companies also said advance ticket sales would begin a year before release through Angel's ticketing platform.
Angel Studios unveiled the first trailer and reaffirmed the July 3, 2026 theatrical date during its CinemaCon presentation in April, where the company outlined a broader theatrical lineup that includes several historical dramas and family-oriented films.
The film enters theaters during a relatively quiet holiday frame for new specialty releases, according to industry reports, with exhibitors and analysts watching whether patriotic programming and anniversary-related interest will help drive attendance through the extended weekend.
As of Saturday, no official opening-weekend box office estimates had been released by the studio. The film remained in wide theatrical release across the United States, with additional performance data expected after the holiday weekend concludes.
