Mena Massoud’s ‘Daniel and the Fiery Furnace’ Opens Quietly, and the Friday Numbers Are Worth a Look
Mena Massoud has traded Agrabah for ancient Babylon, and ‘Daniel and the Fiery Furnace’ is the film that carries him there. The biblical drama reached theaters on September 18, with Massoud playing the young prophet Daniel and Elijah Alexander playing King Nebuchadnezzar. It isn’t the kind of release that usually dominates the weekend conversation, but its opening day deserves attention.
The film comes from directors Matthew and Daniel Kooman, and executive producer Michael W. Smith is credited on the poster. It follows Daniel and his friends as they face trials in exile, building to the fiery furnace episode. Their faith is tested there after they gain royal favor under Nebuchadnezzar but make enemies.
Its route to theaters is just as notable. Variety reported that EKKL Entertainment acquired global distribution rights, and that the company was founded last year by producer Michael Scott, whose faith and inspirational films have collectively grossed over $200 million. That makes this a big early test for a young distributor.
Now the numbers are in. Box office analyst Luiz Fernando posted on X that Massoud, a $1B+ lead man since ‘Aladdin’, is returning in a lower-key fashion at the US box office. According to Fernando, the film grossed $1.1 million on its opening Friday with no promo, across just 1,525 theatres under the newly launched EKKL. He is eyeing a 3-day opening weekend of $2.5 million to $3 million.
After becoming a $1B+ lead man on 2019 #Aladdin, #MenaMassoud returns in a more low key fashion at US #BoxOffice, as his new faith film #DanielandtheFieryFurnace, with no promo, over just 1.525 theatres under newly launched distributor #EKKL, grosses 1.1M on FRI Opening Day! Eyeing a 2.5M-3M 3-day opening weekend in the U.S.
— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) September 19, 2026
Other trackers show a similar picture. The Numbers lists a Friday gross of $1,060,000 from 1,525 theaters, which works out to $695 per theater. Those figures are modest by blockbuster standards, but they look very different next to the film’s budget. IMDb lists the budget as an estimated $2.6 million.
A whole new world. Watch the brand-new trailer for Disney’s #Aladdin, in theaters May 24. pic.twitter.com/Swhal3PWTT
— Disney’s Aladdin (@disneyaladdin) March 12, 2019
Faith-based films often play differently from mainstream releases, and the gap between a single Friday and a full weekend can be revealing. If Fernando’s projection holds, the film could gross close to its estimated budget in three days. That would be a strong result for a title launching without a big marketing push.
Distribution also matters here. A crowdfunding page for the film had projected a release on 1,000+ screens. Reaching 1,525 theatres is comfortably above that early goal, which suggests the film’s backers had a lot of interest from exhibitors.
For Massoud, the film is a striking change of pace. He has moved from a family-friendly fantasy adventure to a weightier story about courage and conviction. He also has a producer credit on the film alongside the Koomans and Travis Mann, so he has a real stake in how it performs.
The wider release picture is worth noting too. The film is entering a market where other titles are grabbing more headlines, so a steady Friday from a small distributor stands out. How the audience grows over Saturday and Sunday will show whether word of mouth can carry it further.
Ultimately, ‘Daniel and the Fiery Furnace’ is a case study in what a focused release can do without heavy promotion. The weekend total, expected in a few days, will show whether faith-driven audiences turned out in force. Either way, it gives Massoud and EKKL a solid foundation to build on.
Would you watch Mena Massoud in Daniel and the Fiery Furnace?
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