Jon Erwin | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Jon in 2021 | |
| Born | (1982-05-19)May 19, 1982 (age 43) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Film director,screenwriter,film producer |
Andrew Erwin | |
|---|---|
 Andrew in 2024 | |
| Born | (1978-09-01)September 1, 1978 (age 47) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Film director,screenwriter,film producer |
Andrew and Jon Erwin, known as theErwin Brothers, are AmericanChristian film directors, screenwriters and film producers known for such films asWoodlawn,[1]October Baby,[2]Moms' Night Out[3][4] andI Can Only Imagine which have collectively grossed more than $150 million worldwide. They are the leaders and co-founders of the production companyKingdom Story Company.
The Erwin brothers were born inBirmingham, Alabama.[5] They are the children of Shelia Joyce and former state senatorHank Erwin and grandsons ofHenry Eugene "Red" Erwin Sr., aMedal of Honor recipient andWorld War II veteran.
After stopping their studies at a film school, the Erwin brothers producedThe Cross and the Towers, a documentary about the steel cross found in the debris of theWorld Trade Center towers afterSeptember 11 attacks.[6]
Jon Erwin served assecond unit director forAlex andStephen Kendrick's 2011 filmCourageous.[7] When asked by Alex in reference to his career, "[w]hat is your purpose?", Jon and Andrew conceived the idea for their firstfeature film,October Baby, a Christianpro-lifedrama which was released in 2011.[8][9] The brothers went on to produce and direct several otherfaith-based films, including comedyMoms' Night Out (2014), andsports dramaWoodlawn (2015).
Their 2018music biopicI Can Only Imagine, became asurprise box-office hit with $17.1 million from 1,629 theaters during its debut weekend, and went on to become the most successfulindependent film of the year of 2018, as well as the third-highest grossing music biopic at the time of its release. Distributed byLionsgate, made more in box office receipts than all of their previous films combined and is their most successful film to date, with $86 million in worldwide box office against a production budget of $7 million.[10][11]
The success ofI Can Only Imagine led to the founding ofKingdom Story Company, a subsidiary of Lionsgate founded by the Erwin brothers and frequent filmmaking collaboratorKevin Downes, specializing inChristian films.[12] Some will be directed by the Erwins, while other movies will use newcomers and other veteran directors.[13] Jon Erwin compared it to a "ChristianPixar" or "ChristianMarvel". AsBaptist Press put it, the company will specialize "in a specific area"—the faith-based genre—and be able to "work on multiple films at one time."[13]
In early 2019, the Erwins revealed that their fifth film,I Still Believe, would be focusing on the life story ofChristian musicianJeremy Camp.[14] It was released on March 13, 2020.
In February 2020, Andrew Erwin related the Erwins' goal in filmmaking:
Our focus is still firmly rooted within the church, but it's focused out[.] ... And so our goal is to reach out beyond the church walls to engage a generation that's walking away from the church – as an introduction to Christianity.
— Andrew Erwin, in an interview with Christian Headlines[15]
In 2021, they releasedThe Jesus Music, a documentary aboutcontemporary Christian music. They also releasedAmerican Underdog, a biopic aboutNFL quarterbackKurt Warner. The film drew $27 million at the box office and was positively reviewed by critics.
In 2023, the brothers releasedJesus Revolution, a drama about the life of the Christian men who sparked acountercultural movement in Southern California in the 1960s. Though it received mixed reviews, the film grossed $54 million on a budget of $15 million.
In 2024, they releasedOrdinary Angels, based on a true story during the1994 North American cold wave. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics and grossed $20 million on a $12 million budget.
In 2023, Jon Erwin founded a new studio called Wonder Project with former Netflix executive Kelly Hoogstraten "to create a trusted brand that serves the faith and values audience globally with movies and TV shows they didn’t know were possible."[16] The new company received $100 million in seed funding from companies including Lionsgate and filmmakerDallas Jenkins, who is a shareholder in the company.[17] Their first project isHouse of David, a historical drama series which was released onAmazon Prime Video in 2025.
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | The Cross and the Towers | Yes | No | Yes | Documentary film Also cinematographer and editor |
| 2011 | October Baby | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also executive producer and cinematographer |
| 2012 | Fully Alive | Yes | No | No | |
| 2014 | Moms' Night Out | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2015 | Woodlawn | Yes | Yes | Executive | |
| 2017 | Steve McQueen: American Icon | Yes | No | Yes | Documentary film |
| 2018 | I Can Only Imagine | Yes | Yes | Executive | |
| 2020 | I Still Believe | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2021 | The Jesus Music | Yes | Yes | Executive | Documentary film |
| American Underdog | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2023 | Jesus Revolution | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2024 | Ordinary Angels | No | No | Yes | |
| The Best Christmas Pageant Ever | No | No | Yes | ||
| 2025 | The Unbreakable Boy | No | No | Yes | |
| Sarah's Oil | No | No | Yes | Post-production | |
| 2026 | Young Washington | Yes | Yes | Yes | Filming |
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Editor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | The Cross and the Towers | Yes | No | Yes | Documentary film |
| 2008 | Hearing Everett: The Rancho Sordo Mudo Story | No | No | Yes | |
| 2011 | October Baby | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also story writer and executive producer |
| 2012 | Fully Alive | No | No | Yes | |
| 2014 | Moms' Night Out | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2015 | Woodlawn | Yes | Executive | Yes | |
| 2017 | Steve McQueen: American Icon | No | Yes | No | Documentary film |
| 2018 | I Can Only Imagine | Yes | Executive | Yes | |
| 2020 | I Still Believe | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2021 | The Jesus Music | Yes | Executive | No | Documentary film |
| American Underdog | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2023 | Jesus Revolution | No | Yes | No | |
| 2024 | Ordinary Angels | No | Yes | No | |
| The Best Christmas Pageant Ever | No | No | Yes | ||
| 2025 | The Unbreakable Boy | No | No | Yes | |
| 2026 | I Can Only Imagine 2 | Yes | No | No | Post-production |
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| National | |
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