The King of Kings (2025)

The animation in The King of Kings is a step behind what the big studios turn out, and it shows. What it gets right is the framing. Kenneth Branagh voices Charles Dickens, mid-performance of A Christmas Carol in London, while his son Walter plays King Arthur backstage with his cat, Willa, and derails the reading. To settle the boy down, Dickens tells him about a greater king, and Walter, who keeps the right to quit if it gets boring, ends up walking beside Jesus and the disciples in his imagination. Seeing the Gospels through a restless kid’s eyes is a smart way in for young viewers. Oscar Isaac voices Jesus, and the cast around him is stacked: Mark Hamill, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Forest Whitaker. Critics landed at 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, but CinemaScore crowds gave it a rare A+. A 6.2 because it’s sincere and warm, if a little plain. $989.04 says a kid in your house asks a big question on the ride home, and you’re grateful for every red light.

What works: Framing the Gospels through Walter’s imagination gives kids a way in, and the voice cast is loaded with big names.

What doesn’t: The animation trails the big studios, and the storytelling is plain enough that older viewers may drift.

Who it’s for: Families looking for a faith film to watch together around Easter, especially with kids around Walter’s age.