An exclusive pre-release screening of I Can Only Imagine 2, free for students, took place last week at Cinemark XD. 

I Can Only Imagine 2 is the sequel to the 2018 blockbuster I Can Only Imagine and continues the story inspired by MercyMe’s music, focusing on themes of faith, perseverance, and redemption. The original film grossed over $83 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing independent films of 2018.

The film holds a personal connection to ACU because alumnus John Puckett, a 2018 multimedia graduate, served as the editor. It also marked the second time Lionsgate has partnered with ACU’s FilmFest to bring a pre-release screening to campus. 

The event was designed not only to highlight the film, but also “to celebrate the work of friends like Brent and John, and to look back at some lessons learned on set last spring,” said Dr. Kyle Dickson, director of the Learning Studio.

For some students, the screening offered a chance to reflect on a project they had already seen come to life behind the scenes.

The screening was especially significant for multimedia and journalism majors, who had the opportunity to experience the film’s production firsthand.

Last May, 20 FilmFest students travelled to Nashville, where director Brent McCorkle invited them to serve as background actors during the filming of an early scene. 

“Spending a few hours watching the directors work with the crew and actors on stage gave students a front-row seat on how a studio film is put together, piece by piece,” Dickson said. 

The free screening, hosted in partnership with Lionsgate and ACU’s FilmFest program, was originally scheduled to conclude with a question-and-answer session with McCorkle, who also directed Jesus Revolution. However, McCorkle was unable to attend after becoming stuck in McAllen, Texas.

Lauren Burris, sophomore multimedia major from Fort Wayne, Indiana, was one of the 20 students who travelled to Nashville and she described the experience as transformative and eye-opening. 

“Seeing the flow of how a full movie set moves was almost like watching a dance,” Burris said. “It made me overjoyed to know I will one day be joining them on sets.”