Is I Can Only Imagine a True Story Based on Real Events
I Can Only Imagine is a 2018 American Christian drama film directed by the Erwin Brothers. The screenplay is based on the memoir of the same name by Bart Millard, the lead singer of the Christian band MercyMe. The film dramatizes Millard's childhood and his path to writing the hit song "I Can Only Imagine," which became a crossover success on Christian radio and charts. The story is not a direct retelling of a single public event but draws from Millard's personal life, family struggles, and his relationship with his father, as described in his published memoir and interviews with major outlets such as Forbes and The New York Times.
The film was produced by Kingdom Story Company, a production label founded by the Erwin Brothers and Kevin Downes, in partnership with Lionsgate. Kingdom Story Company focuses on faith-based content and has funded several projects tied to real-life Christian figures and stories. The production was financed through a mix of private equity and studio backing, with Lionsgate handling distribution in the United States. According to Lionsgate's public filings and entertainment trade reports, the film was marketed as a faith-based drama inspired by a true story, not a documentary or a strictly factual biopic.
What Public Records and Sources Support the Story
The film's narrative is rooted in Bart Millard's memoir I Can Only Imagine, published by Thomas Nelson, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. The book details Millard's upbringing in Texas, his abusive relationship with his father, and how those experiences shaped his songwriting. The memoir became a bestseller in the Christian nonfiction category and is cited as the primary source material for the film's plot and characters.
MercyMe, the band behind the song, was formed in Oklahoma and later based in Nashville, Tennessee. The band's rise is documented in music industry databases and public performance rights records managed by organizations such as ASCAP and BMI. The song "I Can Only Imagine" was released as a single and later included on MercyMe's album Almost There, which charted on Billboard's Christian Albums and Hot 100 lists. The film references these chart milestones and the band's touring history as part of its storyline.
Companies, Financials, and Public Data Related to the Film
I Can Only Imagine grossed over 83 million dollars at the global box office, according to publicly available box office tracking data from Comscore and The Numbers, a subsidiary of Nash Information Services. The film was made on a reported production budget of around 7 million dollars, making it one of the highest-grossing faith-based films relative to its cost. The financial performance is documented in Lionsgate's quarterly earnings reports and entertainment industry analyses published by outlets such as Forbes and Variety.
The film's distribution and licensing are handled by Lionsgate, a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol LGF.A and LGF.B. Public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission provide details on Lionsgate's revenue recognition from distribution deals, marketing spend, and home entertainment sales related to the film. The movie is also available on major streaming platforms and digital storefronts, with licensing terms managed through Lionsgate's home entertainment division and third-party providers.
Where to Find Official Sources and Additional Information
Viewers looking for verified details about the film can consult the Internet Movie Database, which lists cast, crew, production companies, and box office data for I Can Only Imagine. The site aggregates data from studios, publicists, and third-party tracking services and is widely used as a reference for film credits and financials.
For information on Bart Millard's memoir and the band MercyMe, the official MercyMe website and the publisher's page for the book provide context on the source material. Public records