While the summer box office has been dominated in recent weeks by tent poles such as Disney’s live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch and Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, counter-programming was provided by the faith-based Western The Last Rodeo, starring Neal McDonough. The movie has now completed two full weeks of release, emerging as one of the highest-grossing titles in indie distributor Angel Studios’ history. The outfit specializes in faith-based projects, although its reputation remains checkered following Jim Caviezel’s QAnon-skewing Sound of Freedom.
That film remains Angel Studios’ biggest hit, but The Last Rodeo is now number five on the charts, having overtaken the likes of Bonhoeffer, The Shift, and His Only Son in one weekend. With $13 million in the bank against a reported budget of $8 million, it now trails Cabrini, Homestead, and the recent animated movie The King of Kings, which made $60 million worldwide in its theatrical run. The one common factor behind most Angel Studios’ offerings is the audience love they receive. The Last Rodeo holds an excellent 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, in addition to a 69% critics’ score.
Past Angel Studios’ films have been similarly embraced by crowds. Cabrini, for instance, holds a 98% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while The King of Kings has a 97% audience score. The studio has cornered the market for these movies, which are aimed at a specific demographic, one that remains largely underserved by mainstream studios. The highest-grossing faith-based movie of all time remains Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, which made over $600 million two decades ago. It’s set to receive a sequel, titled The Resurrection of the Christ.
Neal McDonough Has Gone From Strength to Strength
McDonough’s rising fame certainly had a role to play in The Last Rodeo’s success. Although he’s been around for years — he has appeared in the MCU as “Dum Dum” Dugan — he gained further prominence thanks to recurring roles in two blockbuster Taylor Sheridan series on Paramount+. McDonough starred not only in Yellowstone but also in Tulsa King. He has also appeared in popular Arrowverse superhero shows in the past.
You can watch The Last Rodeo in theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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May 23, 2025
- Runtime
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118 Minutes
- Director
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Jon Avnet
- Producers
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Darren Moorman, Kip Konwiser, Stephen Preston, Ruve McDonough