David: A Timely and Necessary Animated Epic

For years now, Angel Studios has been loudly building our anticipation. Teasing concept art here, a clip there, promises of a Pixar-level animated musical telling the story of one of Scripture’s most complex and beloved figures. This December, David finally arrives, and after watching it with my family, I can say this without hesitation: Angel Studios delivered a genuinely breathtaking look into the life of the Biblical hero.

I had the opportunity to see David a few weeks ago, ahead of its nationwide theatrical release on December 19, and it’s been living in my head ever since. Featuring Christian music mainstay Phil Wickham as both the speaking and singing voice of adult King David, the film tells the story of the shepherd boy who would become king, poet, warrior, and worshiper. It does so with confidence, scale, and an emotional clarity that never feels watered down.

Let’s get this out of the way first: animation is not easy. It’s painstaking, time-consuming, and often unforgiving. You can always see the budget when an animation team doesn’t quite stick the landing. And yet, at no point does David feel lesser than. The visual language of the film is striking, immersive, and consistently impressive. Whether or not it ultimately reaches The Prince of Egypt level cultural status is something only time can decide, but the comparison is not out of bounds.

The songs land, too. There are memorable hooks, strong choruses, and moments that clearly invite repeat listens. This is a musical made to live beyond the theater, something Angel Studios is clearly encouraging by releasing the soundtrack ahead of the film. Phil Wickham understood that instinct immediately.

“They want you to go in ready for this,” he told me. “All the songs in the movie were written before I was even involved. Because the animation takes so long, they were animating to these songs long before I was David.”

What surprised me most, though, wasn’t the animation or even the music. It was how effective the story is, not just for kids, but for parents. David serves as a powerful refresher course, reminding viewers of the essential arc of David’s life. Yes, some liberties are taken. No, this film does not dive deeply into David’s later failures. That’s not the story this movie is trying to tell.

Instead, David is a celebration. It’s about calling, courage, faith, and the long, often painful perseverance of God’s people. In that sense, its timing feels almost impossible to ignore.

This film arrives during a moment when the world once again feels especially hostile to the Jewish people. As a parent raising children who hold both Christian faith and Jewish heritage, watching David hit theaters during Hanukkah, in the shadow of real-world violence and tragedy, was deeply emotional. We just celebrated my son’s bar mitzvah. In a world that can feel cold, dismissive, or worse, this film felt like a reminder we desperately need.

David is a Jewish hero. And right now, that matters.

That weight isn’t handled clumsily or politically. It’s simply present, embedded in the story itself.

Phil Wickham articulated that heart beautifully when he shared a moment from an early screening.

“When the lights came on at the end of the movie, right in front of me was a little boy,” he said. “He turned to his mom and said, ‘Is that really all in the Bible?’ And that moment was like this physical representation of all the dreams I had for this movie on a kingdom spiritual level.”

That’s the power of this film. It opens doors.

“Other than Jesus, he’s my favorite Bible character,” Wickham told me. “I plagiarized his songs my whole life.”

That reverence shows. Wickham’s performance carries strength, vulnerability, and humanity without ever tipping into sentimentality. Ultimately, David feels like something I’ll return to again and again, not just for my kids, but for myself. It’s the kind of film you’re grateful to have in your toolbox, something you can share with future generations, kids, grandkids, and yes, adults who need a reminder.

As Phil summed it up perfectly, “It’s called David and it’s David’s story, but it really is God’s story, through just people that said yes to Him, even in their fears, even in their doubts, even in their humanity.”

That’s a story worth telling. And one worth singing about.

David opens in theaters nationwide December 19, 2025. The soundtrack is streaming now. Tickets and information are available at Angel.com/David.