| NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--"Fireproof" will open in 59 additional cities -- from Olympia, Wash., and Portland, Ore., to Binghamton, N.Y., and Fairmont, W.Va. -- this weekend thanks to its success during the first two weeks. All total, Fireproof will be shown in 869 theaters this weekend; 35 theaters no longer will show it. Additionally, officials also have released a list of 15 new theaters it will open in the weekend of Oct. 17 -- a list that could grow (A complete list of new theaters is available at www.fireproofthemovie.blogspot.com.) Meanwhile, "The Love Dare" book (B&H Publishing) -- which plays a central role in the movie's plot -- is in its fifth printing with 600,000 copies. It has ranked in the Top 5 among all books sold on Amazon.com. The movie stars Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea and tells the story of how a firefighter captain works to save his failing marriage. The movie's success has caught the eye of several national media outlets, including CNN, ABC's "World News Tonight," The New York Times and the Associated Press. The film starred a mostly all-volunteer cast and was made by Sherwood Pictures, which is owned by Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga. "The best thing about this movie is not the audience numbers but the thousands of people writing to tell us the story hit them between the eyes and that the message is making a difference in their lives," Alex Kendrick, who directed the movie and co-wrote it with his brother, Stephen, the movie's producer, said in a statement. The movie -- from the makers of the 2006 hit "Facing the Giants" -- opened at No. 4 and finished second nationally on a per-theater average. Last weekend it finished No. 8 and was fifth on a per-theater average. Michael Foust is an assistant editor of Baptist Press. Copyright (c) 2008 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press www.BPNews.net |