Jennifer Garner, Hayden Christensen, Queen Latifah, & More's New Films Add to Genre of 'Heaven Tourism'

Jennifer Garner
REUTERS/MARIO ANZUONI |

It's wasn't exactly a typical Hollywood producer's dream to produce a film that caters to Christian audiences. But after the huge box office success of the film adaptaion of 'Heaven is for Real' last year, Hollywood execs took notice. With two more major motion pictures set to depict living people's experiences with heaven, this genre of "heaven tourism" doesn't show any signs of slowing down. And with these new films, there is big-time talent like Jennifer Garner, Queen Latifah, Hayden Christensen and Kate Bosworth attached.

'Heaven is For Real', based on the runaway success book of the same name, depicts the experiences of the Burpo family as their son survives a near-death experience and wakes up with visions of the afterlife. The subsequent accounts of Colton Burpo, transcribed by his father, Todd, captivated the nation. The movie adaptation of 'Heaven is for Real' made over $100 million dollars at the box office. While many critics panned the movie for its sentimentality and clunky narration, audiences rushed out to see Colton and Todd Burpo's story depicted on the main screen, and Sony Pictures raked it in. While Christianity may remain an untouchable topic for most filmmakers, heaven appears to be something easier for filmmakers to tackle because of it's less nuanced, more universal appeal.

Interestingly, another film in a similar vein is also scheduled for imminent release. First published ten years ago, '90 Minutes in Heaven' is the best-selling story of a man killed in an accident and declared dead at the scene. Written by Don Piper, the accident victim himself, this account differs from the other two in that it is an actual adult recounting the events that happened to him, rather than a parent detailing the events after the fact.

Don, a Baptist preacher, claims to have spent ninety minutes as a dead man while another pastor that came upon the accident prayed for his return to earth. In the movie version of this book, Hayden Christensen (of Anakin Skywalker fame, looking dramatically different in the film's press photo) plays Don Piper, and Kate Bosworth (Blue Crush, Rules of Engagement) plays his wife. This dramatic movie also varies greatly in plot from other 'Heaven' movies in that Don is faced with a long, painful recovery from his injuries as opposed to the blissful peace of heaven that he came so closely to joining permanently. As he comes to terms with the fact that he is still on earth and limited by his injured body, his memory of heaven is bittersweet to him because he isn't there. An original score was composed for the movie by Christian music star Michael W. Smith, and the film hits theaters on September 11th of this year. The movie was produced by Rick Jackson, a healthcare CEO.

Audiences interested in these varying accounts of the afterlife might have mixed feelings about the fact that Hollywood executives are pocketing millions of dollars off of this accounts, which are impossible to verify. Some cynics have even discussed these movies and books as being 'heaven tourism', in which viewers get a thrill out of getting a glimpse of heaven that is not Biblically sound. However, it doesn't appear that this trend of making movies is going to slow down any time soon. 

Jennifer Garner is currently in Atlanta working alongside Queen Latifah on the film adaptation of 'Miracles from Heaven.' The movie focuses on a young girl that suffers from a digestive disorder before a life-changing accident gives her a glimpse of heaven and cures her illness.  The real-life story of Annabelle Beam, in which she was trapped inside of a hollowed out tree for hours before being rescued, is detailed in her mother, Christy's, bestselling account of the events. Garner plays Christy Beam in the film. The production team behind 'Miracles from Heaven' involves Bishop T.D. Jakes, DeVon Franklin and Joe Roth -- the same team that brought 'Heaven is for Real' to screens last year. The film is scheduled for release in 2016.