When fans heard that Michael W. Smith was attached to the upcoming biblical film Daniel, it was enough to get their attention. But the story behind this movie goes well beyond the music.
Smith recorded a brand new version of his iconic worship anthem Awesome God for the film's soundtrack - a collaboration made possible through his son Tyler Michael Smith, who is composing the full score for the project. It is a fitting connection for a film that has been described by its creators as something they believe God himself had a hand in making.
Who is behind the film
Daniel is the work of Canadian brothers Matthew and Daniel Kooman, who have been making films together for two decades through their production company UnveilTV. They are joined by their brother Andrew. The three grew up in a home where the Bible was read aloud at dinner, attended Sunday school, and always carried a quiet ambition to one day make biblical films. Daniel was even named after the Old Testament prophet the movie is based on.
That dream became a reality after the 2020 shutdowns, when the brothers revisited the book of Daniel through the lens of a culture that had just experienced collective uncertainty. The story felt immediately relevant.
"The Daniel story, after the shutdown in 2020, we kind of had a way into the story that felt really fresh and really applicable to basically Western culture today," Matthew told The Christian Post.
How $1.2 million changed everything
Before a single frame was shot, the Koomans launched a crowdfunding campaign that became one of the most successful faith-based campaigns in recent memory - raising $1.2 million from supporters who believed in the project. It gave the brothers the resources to do the story justice.
The film focuses on the first three chapters of the book of Daniel, centering on his early years as a young man taken into Babylon. The decision to start there came from reading a Complete Jewish Bible translation that described Daniel and his companions specifically as boys - an angle Matthew said has rarely been explored on screen.
Accuracy was treated as sacred. Pastors, theologians, and biblical historians reviewed the script throughout production. Bibles were kept on set at all times. Cast members regularly paused mid-scene to verify that dialogue matched Scripture word for word.
What happened on set
Production took place in India - and on the day the crew filmed the scene depicting King Nebuchadnezzar's towering statue, they looked up to find people worshipping physical idols nearby. The parallel was impossible to ignore.
But the moment that has stayed with the brothers most happened during scenes filmed directly from Scripture. Without warning, the wind picked up. Trees bent. Tents flew off the ground entirely.
"When you were actually filming these scenes, incredible things were happening," Daniel Kooman said. "Wind blew - like actual winds blew in. Trees were blowing. Tents were literally flying off the set."
The brothers did not see it as a weather event. They saw it as something else entirely - a reminder of the weight of what they were making.
"We literally prayed before we made this movie - 'God, if you're not supposed to make this movie, let us know,'" Daniel said.
The message they want audiences to carry out
At its core, Daniel is a film about courage - the kind that does not waver even when standing before the most powerful forces in the world. The brothers point to the words of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before King Nebuchadnezzar as the heartbeat of the entire project.
"Are we willing to take courage? Are we willing to be bold in the public square?" Matthew said. "We're still telling their stories today because of those acts of faith. So can we live with that kind of faith and see God deliver us in our own lives?"
A release date for Daniel has not yet been announced. Visit unveiltv.com for updates.
Courtesy: The Christian Post
