Kendrick Brothers' Newest Film Is Unlike Anything They've Made Before: 'We're Excited'
Alex and Stephen Kendrick have been trailblazers in the faith-based genre since they began making box office hits out of their home church in Albany, Ga., two decades ago — and they’re breaking new ground again with their latest movie, filmed in Brazil with an entirely Brazilian cast and crew.
That movie, "Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul," opens in American theaters this weekend, following a used car salesman who becomes burdened by his dishonest business practices after cheating his pastor — and embarks on a journey of faith that brings unexpected challenges.
Here’s the kicker: It was filmed in Portuguese before being dubbed into English for American audiences.
It will debut in Brazil in November, giving moviegoers there a story told in their own language and culture, with the potential to connect in ways an English-language film might not.
For now, though, American audiences are getting the first opportunity to see it.
“There’s a hunger for the gospel in Brazil,” Alex Kendrick told Crosswalk Headlines.
The Kendricks first learned of this spiritual hunger when their 2024 movie, "The Forge," soared to No. 1 in Brazil the final weekend of September that year, demonstrating the country’s strong appetite for stories of faith. That success followed strong performances by their other movies there, as well as the growing popularity of the unrelated Bible-based series "The Chosen."
Soon, the Kendricks were receiving requests from roughly 65 Christian filmmakers in Brazil to travel there and teach them their craft. The brothers went to Brazil and taught them everything they knew, but then came a seemingly impossible request from the Brazilian filmmakers: Can we shoot a film, too?
“Well, on short notice, you're thinking feature films are hard to make,” Alex Kendrick said. “They take tons of planning. So, about the only one we could do that's already written and never came out in high def in theaters was "Flywheel.'”
The Kendricks released their first version of Flywheel in 2003, shooting it on a low-budget camera with a cast and crew drawn from their home congregation in Albany, Ga. It opened in local theaters and eventually sold more than 1 million DVDs. But as the brothers honed their craft, they kept looking back at their debut film and wondering: Could they one day remake it with the production quality they had since learned to achieve?
Sony greenlit the project for a remake.
“When the Lord opened the door, we walked through it,” Kendrick said. “We had a Brazilian author translate it into Portuguese, and we shot it in Rio. The Lord put the pieces together so well, and we love the cast and crew we got. They're believers, and they're talented. It is a much better shot and produced version of the original 'Flywheel,' and it's updated to modern-day times in Rio de Janeiro.”
God provided at each step of the filmmaking process, Kendrick said.
“We were like: ‘We need an interpreter. Someone who just stays with us and goes everywhere with us as we're learning Portuguese.’ So we're praying for an interpreter, and we're in this group. And this guy walks up and says, ‘Do you need an interpreter?’ He says, ‘My name is Enrique, and I live in Orlando. But I came down here. If you need help, I'm your guy.’”
Eventually, the Kendricks met the Rio mayor, who embraced the project and pledged his support, including security.
“Because Brazil has gone through quite a bit of hardship in recent decades, there is a growing hunger for the Lord to come in and work and bring revival —bring restoration,” Kendrick said. “And so the churches we saw down there were very much alive. Their worship was incredible.”
The film’s theme is simple: lordship.
The used car salesman, Noah, repents of his dishonest ways and turns to Christ — yet his life gets worse before it gets better.
The Kendricks pray the movie will help spread the gospel throughout Brazil.
“Following God does take sacrifice, but He is such a faithful, powerful God and does meet us where we are,” Kendrick said. “And so, if you loved the original 'Flywheel,' you're really going to like this one. And if you didn't see the original, we are excited that this is a better version.
“We’re excited to see what the Lord does.”
Photo Credit: ©Sony
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published October 14, 2026.
