The Kendrick Brothers are back with The Forge, a new War Room spinoff that’s one of the must-see Christian movies of 2024—and here’s how to watch the film and if it’s available on streaming.
In 2015, Alex and Stephen Kendrick wrote and directed War Room, about a family seeking help from Miss Clara, an elderly lady who encourages them to find peace through prayer.
Critics panned the film, giving it only 32% on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences loved it, making the film an unexpected surprise hit, grossing $74 million worldwide on a $3 million budget.
Nearly a decade later, the filmmaking duo has returned with The Forge, a new film that “goes off the beaten path” in unexpected ways.
Where can you see The Forge?
The Forge will be shown exclusively in cinemas from August 23, 2024.
As with other religious films, you can buy group tickets for yourself and your church congregation. And if you want to go a step further, trading cards (75 tickets or more) are available.
And there is an additional incentive: the first 100 groups to book 100 or more places will receive a special pin and poster, and the organizer will receive a limited edition pocket watch.
What is it about?
The Forge is about Isaiah Wright, a 19-year-old who loves basketball and video games, but when his parents force him to confront adulthood, religion helps him discover his true calling.
“Isiah must grow up. A year after high school and with no plans for his future, Isaiah is challenged by his single mother and a successful businessman to chart a better course for his life,” the official synopsis reads.
“Through his mother’s prayers and the biblical instruction of his new mentor, Isaiah begins to discover that God’s plan for his life is so much more than he could have hoped or imagined.”
“The Forge” is not a direct sequel to “War Room,” but a spin-off with an important character from the original film reappearing: Miss Clara.
“We were already inspired by a powerful storyline, but the entire film took on a new dimension when we realized it was a wonderful fit for our favorite characters from War Room,” Stephen Kendrick said in an earlier statement.
His brother added: “We’ve thought outside the box and done some things with The Forge that we’ve never done before and can’t wait to see how audiences respond to it and the themes of mentorship and second chances.”
The cast of “The Forge”
In The Forge, Aspen Kennedy plays Isiah Wrightwho you may have seen in The Night Before Christmas and Kingdom Business. Other cast members include:
Sony Pictures- Cameron Arnett as Joshua Moore
- Priscilla Shirer as Cynthia Wright and Elizabeth Jordan (they are twins)
- Karen Abercrombie as Miss Clara Williams
- TC Stallings as Tony Jordan
- BJ Arnett as Janelle Moore
- Ken Bevel as James
- Benjamin Watson
- Jonathan Evans as Jonathan
- Jerry Shirer as Vaughn
- Tommy Woodard as Bobby
- Marianne Haaland as Wanda
Shirer and Stallings also appeared in War Room, but Abercrombie’s presence is significant. In conversation with
At SONset Friday LIVE she gave a preview: “The story will touch everyone, every man, every woman and every family, and it is exactly the right story for the present.”
“It’s about discipleship… it’s very powerful. Miss Clara is coming by,” she added, praising Kennedy’s “phenomenal” performance.
Speaking about Isiah’s journey, Kennedy also told BOSSIP, “He has no direction in his life right now.
“He doesn’t want to go to college, he’s going down a path that could lead him astray, but he’s fortunate to have some mentors in his life that are helping him get on the right path.”
Will The Forge be available as a streaming version?
The Forge will be released as a streaming series, it’s just unclear when and where. Since War Room is currently available to stream on Starz, it could end up there after it leaves theaters.
It ultimately depends on the film’s success at the box office. For example, War Room was released on VOD on December 22, 2015, nearly four months after it premiered in theaters. That’s a long run on the big screen, so don’t count on being able to see The Forge at home any time soon.
There is another possibility: technical distribution is handled by Sony Pictures (Affirm Films, a company affiliated with the studio) and Sony has a first-look deal with Netflix. Theoretically, the film could be added to the streaming service’s library after six months, but that’s pure speculation at the moment.
In the meantime, check out our list of the best movies of 2024 so far and find out what happens with The Chosen Season 5.
